I Knew You Weren't
by Arin DeStruction
Summary: Eighth Year fic. Draco is appointed Head Boy. Kylie Meadows, a half-blood Gryffindor, is Head Girl. Draco has his sharp wit and tough exterior to protect him in the aftermath of the war. Kylie has a smile that never leaves her face and causes lesser men to turn to putty. Or stone, if you get on her bad side. Draco doesn't stand a chance.
1. Chapter 1

**I Knew You Weren't**

 **Chapter One**

Draco Malfoy entered the Prefect's Carriage await the arrival of everyone involved in the meeting. His Head Boy badge was entirely too shiny for his liking, but he couldn't help but glance at it every now and then. When he entered the compartment, he was shocked to see it was already occupied. A blonde girl he barely recognized was waiting in the Head Girl chair.

"That seat isn't for you." Draco warned, not wanting the girl to get on Granger's bad side when she realized someone was sitting in her seat.

The girl furrowed her brow. "It's not?"

"You might incur the wrath of the girl it belongs to if she catches you in it." Draco raised an eyebrow. "Who are you anyways?"

The girl smiled, showing off pearly white teeth under her peach-pink lips. "I'm sorry. We haven't been formally introduced. I'm Kylie Meadows, your Head girl." She stuck her hand out to Draco.

Draco took her hand tentatively. "I'm D-"

"Draco Malfoy. I know."

"What happened to Granger? In my letter, it said she was Head Girl." Draco stuck his hands in his pockets. He gave the girl a once-over. Her hair was almost as light as his, maybe only a couple shades darker. And her ice blue eyes penetrated deep into him. A small smile was playing on her closed lips.

" _Hermione_ turned the position down. She didn't want the added stress after missing a whole year of school. McGonagall gave it to me, instead." Kylie reached into the pocket of her robes. "Ah. That's where that went. Maybe this is why you were confused." She pulled her Head Girl badge out of her pocket and pinned it to her robes.

Draco didn't miss the subtle correction of him calling Hermione, Granger. "Obviously, you're a Gryffindor. Are you a, uh, mu-" Draco stopped himself before he finished with 'mudblood, too?'

"I believe the word you're looking for is muggleborn. And no, not quite. For all intents and purposes, I was raised a muggle. But I'm a half-blood."

Draco cocked his head to the side, confused.

Kylie gave another small, slightly swoon-worthy, smile. "My dad was a wizard. He was killed during Voldemort's first Reign of Terror. I was a couple months old. My mum raised me how she knew, like a muggle. But she had help from my father's family when I began showing signs of magic." She laughed. "You're kind of cute when you're confused."

"So, they- what? Replaced the Gryffindor Princess with the Gryffindor Court Jester?" Draco tried to gain control of the conversation. He was not _cute_ and he certainly wasn't confused. Maybe. Okay, a little confused. Not that he'd admit it to a stranger, though.

"Actually, in the spirit of unity and all that bullshit, since you, a Slytherin, were still taking the Head Boy position, McGonagall decided to keep a Gryffindor as your opposite. Because our houses have the most conflict. And since you are also a pureblood, she decided to put you with someone who was still of lesser blood. To show we're unified. That blood status isn't a problem." Kylie took a deep breath but kept on smiling. "It's not going to be a problem, is it, Prince Malfoy?"

Draco sputtered a bit. "I- no. No problem. As long as you don't make it one."

 _Why is she so fucking cheery? Seriously, who bloody smiles that much?_ Draco thought to himself.

"Look, aside from having at least four classes with you for six years, I don't know you. I won't pretend to know you or what you must have gone through. I'm not here to judge you. I'm here to do my duties as Head Girl. I may be the only one not judging, but it's not my place. I haven't walked in your shoes." Kylie crossed her legs and looked up at Draco. "And i'm incredibly fucking cheery because I choose to be. We've had enough dreariness for three lifetimes. And I don't like dreariness."

Draco looked dumbfounded. Had she just read his mind? Could people actually do that?

"I didn't read your mind. You aren't the first person to look at me like I'm possessed." She clasped her hands together as the door opened and stood up. "Look, the babies are here." She grasped Draco's shoulder. "Let's make this year a good one. You want to take the podium or should I?"

"By all means, go for it." Draco watched as Kylie took the floor and began speaking to the group. He had wanted to be an absolute wanker. In fact, he had a whole slew of insults to spew at Granger if she had ran her mouth. But they were all lost when he looked at this new girl. Maybe it was how cheerful and smiley she was. It was a bit unnerving, if he was honest.

Draco couldn't help but notice that a few of the prefects were shooting him small glares out of the corners of their eyes.

He wasn't the only one to notice. "Eyes! Front and center!" Kylie barked. She smiled sweetly when everyone obeyed. "I see you've noticed Mr. Malfoy joining our ranks. He is your Head Boy this year. Meaning he's kind of like your boss. There is only one person higher in the ranks than he and I, and that would be Headmistress McGonagall. You screw with Mr. Malfoy and that means you screw with me and, in turn, her. And I'm sure none of you want to screw with her."

Draco gave a small grin at the terrified murmurs running through the group.

"This year is about unification and peace. And I expect just that from all of you. Think of this as a beehive. All of you are worker bees, the low men on the totem pole. Malfoy and I tell you what to do, which flowers to pollinate. McGonagall is the Queen. And we all keep her happy. Capice?"

The prefects all nodded in (slightly scared) agreement.

The rest of the meeting went smoothly, with McGonagall smiling from the back of the room and Draco sitting back in a chair with his feet propped up, watching with slight amusement.

When the meeting was over, the prefects filed out talking amongst themselves and Kylie moved to repack her messenger bag.

"Thank you for that." Draco said from behind her. "You didn't have to."

Kylie tucked a piece of hair behind her ear as she stood up. She slung her bag over her shoulder and shrugged. "A little kindness goes a long way. Like I said, I'm not here to judge you. Everyone gets a clean slate this year." She began to walk to the door.

"You know, you're a bit scary, right?" Draco called after her.

Kylie turned around, but kept walking backwards. "You still think she picked me because I'm the Court Jester?" She winked at Draco and turned on her heel without missing a beat, walking through the doors normally.

Xxxxx

 **A/N: So, I'm usually a sucker for Dramione, but this Draco/OC plot bunny hopped into my head and wouldn't leave, so here it is. Review, follow, favorite! I haven't done HP fanfiction in a cool minute, so let me know how it is! Xoxo**


	2. Chapter 2

**I Knew You Weren't**

 **Chapter Two**

Draco made his way back to his compartment, only to see that Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott had been joined by Pansy Parkinson and Daphne Greengrass.

"How was the meeting with the Princess?" Blaise asked, clapping Draco on the shoulder as he sat next to him.

"Wasn't there. Declined the position apparently." Draco shrugged.

"Well, if you can't stand the heat..." Theo chuckled. "So, who'd you get stuck with? Probably some ugly bloke."

"Actually, another Gryffindor. Some girl named Kylie Meadows. Apparently, she's been in our classes since First Year."

"The smiley bint?" Blaise asked, motioning to his mouth.

Theo grinned when Draco nodded. "That girl has a nice ass. 10/10, would bang."

"You know she's a half-blood, right, mate?" Blaise asked.

"My dick doesn't care about blood status. Pus-"

"Aaaaand new subject! Thank you!" Pansy exclaimed, interrupting Theo.

Draco chuckled.

"How'd you been, Drake? Since the trials?" Daphne asked.

Draco shrugged. "I can deal with the six months of probation. Being appointed Head Boy doesn't hurt. My father is rotting in Azkaban and rightfully so. And my mother taught herself how to knit. That's been the most unbearable part."

"She knitted him, like, three pairs of underpants." Pansy revealed with a laugh.

The compartment erupted with laughter and Draco muttered, "Thanks, Pans." He waited patiently for the laughter to die down.

When it did, Blaise asked, "Do you, uh, you know, like them?" He began laughing almost uncontrollably, again.

"Now that you mention it, they really seem to cradle my balls nicely. And they're incredibly soft. I'll have Mum knit you both some for Christmas."

The rowdy bunch quieted immediately and began stumbling over their apologies and rejections.

"No, it's decided. Merry early Christmas. I'll make sure she gets the really soft yarn. And then you'll both know almost what it feels like to have a woman caress your dick."

Pansy smiled as she watched Draco joking with his friends. It was a sight she hadn't witnessed in far too long.

* * *

When Kylie had went to her meeting, she had left Ginny, Hermione, Neville, and Luna behind in a compartment. When she came back, one of the previous occupants was missing.

"Where's Hermione?" She asked, taking a seat next to Neville.

"Said something about wanting peace and quiet and left. Probably because Ginny wouldn't stop talking about quidditch." Neville shrugged, handing Kylie a Cauldron Cake.

Ginny hrmph'd. "She's probably mad because Ronald hasn't written her back yet."

"You do talk about quidditch an awful lot, Gin." Kylie chuckled.

"Oh, shut up. All of you. You sods just wish you had something to be passionate about." Ginny replied grumpily. "How was your meeting? Was Malfoy a complete arsehole?"

Kylie sighed. "Gin, what was I talking about before I left for my meeting?"

"Yeah, yeah. I know. Peace, love, and forgiveness. Blah blah." Ginny rolled her eyes. "I don't want peace, love, and forgiveness. I want food. I'm starving. And I definitely don't want to give peace, love, and forgiveness to the likes of Malfoy."

Luna gave a small chuckle from behind her upside-down Quibbler.

"Luna gets it. Don't you, Lune? Because you don't hate anyone." Kylie widened her eyes hoping Luna would get the hint.

Luna sat her magazine down. "I can't hate anyone. It causes the wrackspurts to get into my head and they make me all fuzzy. I don't like being fuzzy." She said dreamily.

Kylie cocked her head towards Luna. "She gets it. Wrackspurts." She smiled and laughed a bit, causing Ginny and Neville to laugh as well.

"Fine. I'll be nice if it keeps the _wrackspurts_ away. Happy?"

This caused Kylie to grin widely. "Very happy."

"So, uh, I'm gonna miss you in the dorms this year." Neville said, nervously.

"I'm going to miss you, too, Neville." Kylie smiled sweetly. "I'm going to miss everyone. I kind of feel like I'm being exiled."

"Oh, right." Ginny piped up. "You get a special dorm this year. I'd say you were a lucky bitch, but you have to share it with the Snake Prince."

Kylie rolled her eyes and sighed. "Ginevra."

"Sorry. Will we be able to come see your new accommodations?"

"Of course. I'd probably die if you couldn't. Plus, I'll still come hang out in the tower with all of you. I'm still a Gryffindor after all. They can't keep me out."

"I sure hope Draco isn't a slob." Luna said, still reading the Quibbler. "I would hate to see what you might do to him if he was."

"Oh, Merlin. I didn't even think of that. I'll kill him."

"Peace, love, and forgiveness, Ky." Ginny winked.

"Fine. I won't kill him. I will... pour itching powder in his underpants, but I won't kill him. I'm am too zen for murder and I wouldn't last a day in prison." Kylie closed her eyes and took a deep breath in through her nose. She exhaled slowly and opened her eyes. "Too zen for murder."

"And too pretty for prison." Ginny grinned before looking out the window. "We're almost to the school. Thank Merlin."

Kylie sighed, feeling her 'zen' slowly leave her. "I really don't want to go round up prefects."

"But you have to." Neville said as Kylie stood up. "See you at the feast."

"Save me a seat, Nev." Kylie jumped and squealed as Ginny gave her a backhanded swat on the ass.

"Go get 'em, tiger. Show no mercy. Instill fear deep in their hearts." Ginny winked at her friend.

"Down, girl." Kylie chuckled. "If you see any of them cry, just know it's my fault and I probably had fun doing it."

Kylie left the compartment and wandered down the hallway, looking for Draco in the crowded seats. When she finally found him, she opened the door without knocking and stuck her head in.

"Draco, we need to go round up the worker bees."

Draco nodded wordlessly and stood up, pulling his robes back on.

As the door shut behind him, Kylie could hear childish squeals of "ooh, Drakey's got a giiiirlfriiiend!" Along with the sound of whips cracking.

"Really?" Kylie asked, glancing over at Draco.

"Don't mind them. They're childish and virtually harmless."

"Too zen for murder." Kylie whispered to herself.

"What was that?" Draco asked.

"Nothing. Talking to myself. That's all." Kylie brushed him off.

"Do that a lot, do you?"

All Kylie could do in response was shoot Draco a look that could possibly send him six feet under.

"I'll shut up." Draco raised his hands in mock surrender.

"Do that, please." Kylie smiled, but it quickly faded as they began finding prefects and pulling them out of their compartments.

Xxxx


	3. Chapter 3

**I Knew You Weren't**

 **Chapter Three**

The Sorting and the feast went off without a hitch and Draco and Kylie visited their respective houses afterwards, both making it back to their own dorm well past midnight.

Draco awoke the next morning to see Kylie asleep on the couch in front of the fireplace in their Common Room the next morning, with a warm blanket wrapped around her.

"Did you sleep out here on purpose?" He asked as Kylie sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"Not particularly." She yawned. She glanced at the blanket and picked up the corner. "Did you-?

"Must have been a house elf. I thought you were already in your room when I came in." Draco walked over to their small kitchen and went about making himself some tea.

Kylie stood up from the couch to do the same and giggled a bit when the blanket fell off of her. "Well, this could be awkward." She said walking to the kitchen.

Draco turned to see at she was talking about. His eyes about fell out of his head when he saw her in nothing but a semi-tight white camisole and hot pink boyshorts.

"I remember taking my button-down off, but I must have taken my skirt off at some point in my sleep." She shrugged and grabbed herself a mug. She turned to look at Draco, who was strangely silent. "I'm sorry. Does the female body embarrass you?"

"What- no." Draco pulled a face. "Not at all. I just don't know you that well. Didn't think you'd be getting naked for me yet. It was bound to happen sooner or later, though."

"Do you have any actual life skills?" Kylie asked, getting to the point quickly and ignoring Draco's slightly sexist comments.

"What? Life skills?"

"Yes. Like cooking, cleaning, picking up dirty clothes? Because I refuse to pick up your dirty underwear or, Merlin forbid, crusty socks."

"I have life skills." Draco scoffed. "What gives you the impression that I don't?"

"I'm assuming you had a house elf? You are very wealthy, after all."

Draco scowled but stayed silent.

"So, I just figured you didn't know how to do anything."

"I have life skills." He grumbled.

Kylie finished making her tea and turned back around, leaning against the countertop. "We need rules, then."

Draco pulled out a chair from their dining table and sat down. "Like what? No sex during daylight hours? Personally, I like morning sex. It's like my own personal wake up call. But if you prefer the dark, I can adjust." Draco leaned back in his chair with his signature smirk on his face.

"More like 'don't be a fucking twat as soon as you wake up'. Also, I like to cook. And now I have a kitchen. If I choose to stay in and cook, and you choose to stay in and eat with me, the favor will be repaid. I won't be the only one cooking. I also won't be the only one doing dishes. I cook, you clean up. You cook, I clean up."

"Sounds fair to me. Go on." Draco took a sip from his mug.

"I have a...particular...way that I like things to be sorted. So, after classes today, I will probably be rearranging our shared spaces. Don't fuck with anything I change. And... how about, I'm responsible for my messes in the shared spaces and you're responsible for yours. Visitors require a 12 to 24 hour notice, on both our parts. Unexpected visits are an exception. I have a habit of falling asleep in front of the fireplace, as you may have noticed. If you find me like that, don't try and wake me up. Either I won't or, if I do, it won't be pleasant for you." Kylie thought for a moment. "And if either one of us has a 'guest' in our bedroom, Silencing Charms are not only a given, but respectfully requested."

"Planning on having many _guests_ in your bedroom?"

Kylie smiled sweetly. "I don't know yet. Are you?" Her voice was dripping with sarcasm.

"Touché." Draco said with a head nod. "Anything else, Mistress?"

"Don't call me Mistress." Kylie raised an eyebrow. "If I think of anymore before I see you again, I'll make a list." She say her mug down and made her way to the stairs leading to the bedrooms and bathroom.

"Think you'll be walking around in your knickers very often?" Draco chuckled. "I'm sure my friends would love to see that." _Theo was right. She does have a nice arse._ He thought, watching her ascend the stairs.

Kylie flipped Draco the bird and walked into her bedroom, only to emerge a couple minutes later with her hand clamped around something.

Draco watched as she lifted her hand to her mouth and empty it's contents, draining her tea after she lowered her hand. "I know it isn't 12 hours notice, but I'm probably going to be bringing a friend by after classes to show her the place."

"You have friends? Wow." Draco drained his tea and walked his mug over to the sink.

"Yeah. More than one, actually. You'll like this one, though. You even have a special nickname for her. I believe you call her Weaslette? Correct me if I'm wrong."

Draco sneered. "Of course you're friends with the Mini-Ginger."

"I'm friends with all of the gingers. And their friends. So, be on your toes."

"I conveniently won't be here when you bring the She-Weasel for her grand tour. How about that?"

"If that's what you want to do, go for it. She knows I want her to be nice to you, though."

"You told your friends to be nice to me." Draco deadpanned.

"Of course I did. Because it's the right thing to do." Kylie shrugged. "Do you need to shower? I won't if you need to."

"Go right ahead."

* * *

Ginny followed Kylie through the portrait hole and gaped at the size of the common room.

"Don't you think five armchairs and three couches is a bit much?" Ginny asked as the portrait closed.

"More choices to sleep on." Kylie laughed. "That's the kitchen and dining room." She said, pointing. "Bedrooms are up the stairs. Come on."

Kylie led Ginny up the stairs and to the left, opening her for with a flourish.

"Holy shit." Ginny said as she stepped into the room. "You work fast."

The room seemed to be bathed in purple, from the rug on the floor to the bedding. An open window was to the left of the bed and a desk and bookcase were to the right. Kylie trunk lay open at the foot of the bed.

"I didn't do it. The room did. I walked in and it was plain, no color, no window. And when I stepped in it changed. I love it."

Ginny bellyflopped down on the Queen size bed and groaned. "It's so comfy.", she said, her voice muffled by the pillow her face landed in.

Kylie jumped up next to her and laid down on her back with her arm up under her head. Ginny rolled over and laid her hands on her stomach.

"I'm just going to live here with you. Okay?"

Kylie laughed. "Fine by me. One more person to talk to."

"Speaking of, how is living with...Draco?" Ginny paused, using Draco's actual name instead of a cruel nickname.

"Good, actually. I mean, it hasn't been a day yet, but he's been pleasant, aside from the sex jokes."

"Ugh. Boys." Ginny rolled her eyes. "Say, you never told me what happened between you and that muggle boy you started dating over break."

" _Ugh. Boys._ " Kylie repeated. "We broke up. Because he said I was too 'crazy' for him."

"You aren't crazy." Ginny said sympathetically.

"No, I am. Apparently, I just have to wait for a man to come along, because boys can't handle the craziness. Maybe I'll just get a girlfriend instead." Kylie mused.

"I think that Ravenclaw girl still likes you."

"Who, Laurel? Maybe. We don't talk much, though. There is that Hufflepuff girl, Arizona. I mean, she's cute, blonde, and peppy. And i'm cute, blonde, and peppy. It could work. We have study hour at the same time. I saw her in the library while I was there."

Ginny groaned. "Of course you would find love in the library. Hermione should take a lesson from you instead of pining after my brother."

"I'm going to talk to her tomorrow." Kylie grinned, half-ignoring Ginny's complaining. "And shut up about 'Mione and Ron. She'll come to her senses one day."

"I'm so tired. I could sleep in this bed forever." Ginny said lazily.

"This is the first time I've been on it. It's incredibly comfortable."

"You slept in front of the fireplace last night?"

"Of course I did. It's like a bloody tradition at this point for me to fall asleep in front of the fire on the first day of school. The past two years, I tried to just go to bed and in tossed and turned for hours. I got up and five minutes in the common room and I'm out like a light." Kylie yawned. "Let's just take a nap. We stayed up way too late last night."

"Will you be alright?"

"Should be."

* * *

Draco came up the stairs a couple hours later and noticed Kylie's door was open. He decided to be a little nosy and peek in. He was about to roll his eyes at Kylie and Ginny sprawled out on the large bed, both laying on their stomachs, when he noticed Ginny had a hand resting on Kylie's shoulder, almost like she was comforting her. He briefly wondered why Ginny would be doing something like that but chalked it up to weird girl behavior and went to his room.

* * *

About half an hour after Draco had came back to the dorm, Ginny was awoken by Kylie grabbing at her arm, struggling to breathe.

"Bag...bag...the- the thing." Kylie gasped out as Ginny jumped off of the bed.

Ginny knew what 'thing' was being referred to. The small L-shaped Muggle contraption that Kylie used when she had trouble breathing. She grabbed it out of its usual pocket and rushed it over, pressing it quickly into Kylie's hand.

Kylie shook the inhaler and stuck it in her mouth, pressing it down and inhaling deeply. She did it once more and seemed to calm down. She threw it back to Ginny, who stuck it back in its pocket.

As Kylie calmed down, Ginny took a seat next to her on the edge of the bed. "You need a stock of Dreamless Sleep."

"I don't need a potion to help me sleep. I have my pills for that." Kylie said, breathing slowly.

"'Pills'. Whatever. They obviously don't work."

"They work just as well as Dreamless Sleep. I take them at night, before bed. I can't take them before a nap because they'll make me sleep too long. I guess I just have to boycott naps."

"You shouldn't have to boycott naps. You could talk to Madame Pomfrey and see if she has any ideas." Ginny suggested.

"You know how my mother feels about potions and things like that. I wouldn't be allowed to take them at home."

"Because she's home enough to see what you do or don't take." Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Gin... don't."

"Then come live at The Burrow until you get your own place. Mum would have you cured in no time."

Kylie smiled at the thought. "I'd also gain 10 kilos. Your mum would fatten right me up."

"Yeah, well, you need it. Your arse has shrunk since last year." Ginny winked.

"Rude." Kylie made a pouty face. "It's almost curfew. You'd better be getting back."

"I'll stop by and pick you up in the morning, make sure you're doing okay."

"I'll make you breakfast if you show up early enough." Kylie smiled. "Thanks."

"No problem. I'll see you tomorrow." Ginny hired her friend and got up, waving as she exited the bedroom door.

Kylie waited until she heard the portrait close before heading down to get a cup of tea. She didn't notice Draco sitting in a couch reading and almost spilled boiling water all over herself when he spoke.

"You alright?"

Kylie jumped. "Oh, Merlin, don't do that."

"Sorry, I just kind of heard you wake up in there. Didn't mean to eavesdrop. Nightmares?"

"Um, something like that." Kylie blushed. She didn't like anyone else knowing about her problems. "Sometimes, I wake up and can't breathe. Doctor says it's panic attacks. I say, what can I be panicking about if I'm sleeping."

"The war did a number in all of us."

The 'all of us' didn't go unnoticed, but Kylie didn't want to pry. "Well, it's been happening for a lot of my life. The battle here didn't help, though." She turned to look at Draco and smiled. "I'm going to head back up. Have a good night."

Draco nodded. "You, too." He turned back to his book. But he snuck a peek at her as she was walking back up the stairs. Something wasn't right with her. He shook the thoughts out of hood head, wondering why he cared when he didn't even know the girl. "What the bloody fuck is a panic attack?" He thought out loud.

* * *

Kylie laid back on her bed, cursing herself for leaving her door open when they fell asleep.

 _Great, now he knows I'm a fucking lunatic. He'll probably never speak to me again._ She thought to herself. She accio'd her bookbag over to the bed and dug out her old, worn copy of To Kill A Mockingbird and her sleeping pills. She opened the bottle and tossed a pull in her mouth, downing it with tea, before opening her book and reading until she fell asleep.

Xxxxx

 **A/N: I don't know why, but I feel I should apologize for using an odd name like Arizona. But I started watching Grey's Anatomy a few weeks ago (never watched it before now) and I'm on season 7 and Arizona just got back from Africa and I'm having a lot of Calzona feels. So idk if she'll pop up again or if she's just a random mention, but I needed a happy Arizona moment so I threw her in here. Review, follow, favorite? Xoxo**


	4. Chapter 4

**I Knew You Weren't**

 **Chapter Four**

 **A/N: Trigger warning. Mentions of mental illness, self-harm, and attempted suicide. Proceed at your own risk.**

 ***6 Weeks Later***

Kylie, Ginny, and Arizona walked through the portrait hole into the head dorm laughing.

"Let me just put my books up and we'll head out."

Kylie couldn't help but notice that the dorm was strangely silent as she got to the stairs. She walked up quickly and opened her door wide enough to toss her bag in, when she heard groaning and gasping coming from the bathroom.

She turned her head and could see that the door was slightly ajar. She pushed the door open and almost screamed when she saw Draco sitting on the floor, blood pooling around him.

"Oh, fuck!" She exclaimed as she ran to his side, trying to find the source of the bleeding. "Oh, Draco, what did you do?"

"Ky?" Ginny called up the stairs. "What's going on?"

Kylie heard footsteps and turned as Ginny and Arizona froze at the bathroom door.

"Oh, Merlin." Arizona whispered.

"Go get Madame Pomfrey. Now." Kylie demanded and the other two girls ran out.

Kylie finally found where all the blood was coming from. She lifted Draco's left arm, the one bearing the Dark Mark. Or what was left of it, anyways. There were chunks missing from the Mark, healed over with fresh, pink scars. It was obvious that he was trying to remove it himself. Blood was pouring from the place where the snake head used to be.

"Goddamn it, Malfoy..." Kylie flicked her wand and summoned a first aid kit from her room. She pulled out some gauze and began wrapping his arm when his head lolled to the side.

She had just finished with the gauze when Madame Pomfrey arrived.

"Oh, dear." Madame Pomfrey conjured up a stretcher and levitated Draco onto it. She noticed the bandage and looked at Kylie.

"I've had a lot of practice." Kylie said, averting her eyes away from the girls at the bathroom door.

Madame Pomfrey smiled. "I know, dear. You did well." She turned to leave but Kylie grabbed her arm.

"He's trying to remove his Mark." She whispered.

Madame Pomfrey nodded, a grim look sweeping over her face, as she levitated Draco down the stairs and out of the portrait hole.

"I'm, uh, gonna go down there and sit with him until he wakes up."

Ginny nodded and Arizona gave a sympathetic smile.

Kylie leaned forward and gave Arizona a quick kiss. "You guys can hang out without me, right?"

Arizona placed her hand on Kylie's arm. "Don't worry about us. He'll need someone there for him."

"Yeah, we'll be fine. I promise I won't let any other girls steal her away from you." Ginny smiled.

"Thanks, guys."

* * *

Kylie hadn't realized she had fallen asleep with her head on the side of Draco's bed until he moved slightly and accidentally woke her up.

"Meadows?" Draco said groggily, as he squinted through one open eye. "Where am I? What happ-" He stopped when he realized where he was. "Did you bring me here?" He asked, angrily.

"If I hadn't, you would have died." Kylie sat back in her chair. "What were you thinking, Draco?"

"It's none of your business. You wouldn't understand." Draco turned his head away from her.

"I wouldn't understand?" Kylie sighed as she pulled out her wand. "I can't believe I'm doing this."

Draco peeked out of the corner of his eye as Kylie waved her wand over her arm and numerous pale white, thin scars appeared on her arm starting at her wrist and going up to the crook of her elbow. He turned to her and propped himself up on one elbow, having her arm with his free hand. "Glamour Charm?"

Kylie nodded, pocketing her wand.

Draco ran his fingers down the column of scars. "Why?"

"Because I'm fucked up." Kylie shrugged. "My dad died when I was a baby. I never knew about magic until I got my letter. To come here, I had to leave everything behind. My friends, my school... my mum was terrified. By 13, I had lost all of my friends. I couldn't tell them where I went to school or what I had learned. They didn't want to deal with the secrets. My mum is scared of magic so my friends here couldn't visit. I started cutting myself because I could control it. That summer I was diagnosed with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and OCD."

"I have no idea what those are." Draco admitted.

That caused Kylie to let out a small chuckle. "It's why I have to take a handful of pills every morning. So my brain can try and work correctly."

"Pills? You mean those things you take with your morning tea?"

"Yeah. They're pretty much Muggle potions in a small, compact form. I take one at night that helps me sleep."

Draco's fingers paused over the one avast that stuck out from the rest. It was thicker and more raised than the others and close to her wrist.

"That's where I tried to kill myself right after I got home when 4th Year ended. But when I saw all the blood, I chickened out and yelled for my mom. She put me in a psych ward. That's basically a hospital specifically for crazy people. I spent the entire summer there. I had to convince my mum to take me to St. Mungo's first because I cut through the tendon in my wrist and the Muggle doctors didn't think they could fix it and give me back full movement in my hand."

"But you're okay now?"

"Better every day." Kylie smiled.

"Who knows about this?" Draco couldn't take his eyes off of her arm.

"Ginny, Madame Pomfrey, and you. Arizona knows some, but not all." Kylie shrugged.

"So this is why you're so nice to me. And why you preach all of your peace-love-forgiveness, I-won't-judge-you stuff."

"I wouldn't want someone judging me unless they had walked in my shoes. And I've never walked in yours. So, yes. This is part of it."

"Why are you telling me this? We're not even friends."

"I just saved your life. I think we qualify as friends now. And i'm telling you so you'll tell me."

"I want this thing off of my arm. That's it. It's a reminder every day of the shit I went through. And I want it gone."

"So, you'd rather mutilate yourself than wait to see if it disappears?"

"You mutilated yourself." Draco pointed out.

"Yes, and it's not exactly a behavior I condone. Idiot."

"So, what would you do?" Draco sat straight up and crossed his arms (not without wincing, though.) "Just wait and see if it just goes away on its own? Bloody fucking unlikely."

"Actually, I would. And if it didn't, I'd go see a Healer."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Well, you may be that patient. I'm not."

"You know, you're being a bit unpleasant to the woman who helped you not die. I'll just go get Poppy and let her know you're awake. And I'll leave." She stood up and Draco's good arm shot out to grab her.

"Don't go yet. I'm sorry." He took a deep breath. "If you went through what I did, you'd want it gone, too."

"Don't be stupid about it. I don't want to have to break in a new Head Boy. Or roommate."

"I get it now. You only helped me because otherwise you'd be inconvenienced."

"Of course. And i'm also kind of fond of you. You really aren't that bad." Kylie laughed as she sat back down.

"Don't let anyone hear you say that. My reputation would be ruined." Draco fixed his pillows do they propped him up and he leaned back on them.

"Ah, yes. Your precious reputation. Can't ruin that, now can we?" Kylie shook her head. "Scout's honor, I will tell everyone in see what an arsehole you are."

"And a badass. Don't forget that."

"Of course I won't. I'll tell everyone you battled a dragon or something equally as manly."

"Good. I like it. Maybe not a dragon, though. Tad bit unbelievable."

"Hippogriff, then? Or maybe a vicious ferret." Kylie winked and Draco turned bright red.

"Please don't remind me of that. For the love of Merlin's saggy left testicle, please don't remind me." Draco covered his face with his hands to try and hide his embarrassment.

Kylie giggled. "You were the talk of the Gryffindor common room for weeks after that."

"Ugh, I believe it."

Madame Pomfrey came out of her office and smiled at the laughing pair. "How are you feeling, Mr. Malfoy?"

"I'm alright for now, thanks." Draco managed a smile. "My arm hurts a bit, though."

"Figured it might." Madame Pomfrey handed Draco a small amount of pain potion, which he took immediately. "I'm off for the night. Call me back in if you need me. You know how."

Draco nodded and Madame Pomfrey turned to leave.

"I'd better go." Kylie said, standing up.

"Stay... please? It gets weird at night when she's not here."

"Thought we weren't friends." Kylie raised an eyebrow.

Draco groaned. "We're fucking friends, okay?"

Kylie gave a single nod. "Madame Pomfrey?" She called after the nurse. "I'll keep an eye on him tonight."

"Alright, dear. You know where I am if you need me." Madame Pomfrey smiled as she exited the hospital wing.

"I'll stay on one condition."

A sly smirk appeared on Draco's face. "And what condition is that?"

"You promise you won't do this ever again."

"What if I-"

"Goodnight, Draco." Kylie pulled her messenger bag over her shoulder.

Draco grabbed her arm briefly. "Fine. I promise." He marked an invisible X over his chest with his finger. "Cross my heart."

"Okay." Kylie grabbed Draco's hand and squeezed it gently. "Goodnight." She climbed into the bed next to Draco's, putting her bag on the floor and pulling the blankets around her.

"Thank you."

Kylie reached down into her bag and pulled out a small bottle. She removed the lid and pulled a little, white circle from it. She closed the bottle back up and slid it back into her bag. "Give me your water."

Draco understood why she needed it and handed her the glass. He watched as she swallowed her 'pill', or whatever she called it, and gave the cup back. "Just...don't die in the middle of the night. Okay?"

Draco nodded, chuckling a bit. "I'll try my best."

"Good. If you die on me, I'll kill you."

"Good to know. Wouldn't want to die twice."

Kylie could feel her eyes drooping. "G'night." She mumbled as she fell asleep.

Draco couldn't help but smile a little. "Goodnight."

Xxxxx

 **A/N: I hope everyone is liking this so far! Review, follow, favorite! Xoxo**


	5. Chapter 5

**I Knew You Weren't**

 **Chapter Five**

 ***1 Month Later***

Draco walked into the Head's dorm with an unbandaged arm and a giant grin on his face.

"What'd Pomfrey say?" Kylie asked, looking up from her homework.

"I'm all healed." Draco shrugged, still grinning as he plopped down next to Kylie on the couch. He flung his arm over the back of the seat and kicked his feet up on the coffee table.

"Oh, good. Now I can stop pretending we're friends. You make a good charity case, you know."

Draco turned his head in shock and opened his mouth to say something rude, but groaned when he noticed the sly smirk playing on Kylie's lips. "You're a fucking arsehole."

Kylie put her quill and parchment to the side and turned herself towards Draco, throwing her legs over his. "It's part of my charm."

"Where's Arizona? I thought we were studying together." Draco asked, pulling his homework from his bag.

"We got in a fight. No biggie." Kylie shrugged.

"It was about me, wasn't it?"

"Not entirely. Don't feel bad. I just... think she's jealous."

"Of me?" Draco feigned surprise. "No way. I have never gotten that vibe from her. Ever." He said sarcastically.

Kylie swatted him on the arm. "She doesn't think we're just friends. I'm sorry. She thinks we, you know, have feelings for each other."

"Does she think I'm, what? Going to steal you away from her?" Draco rolled his eyes. "I may be a bit of an arse, but I don't steal girlfriends. I could get a single girl. If I wanted one, that is. I've tried being her friend. This isn't my fault."

"Don't go defending yourself to me. I know it isn't your fault. But, you know, she only likes girls. She knows I like both and she's okay with it. But she also isn't blind and knows you're rather attractive."

"Everyone knows that." Draco grinned. "What started your fight?"

"I told her I was going to see if you wanted to visit my mum's over the holiday."

"Oh." Draco blushed a bit and bent over quickly to pretend to look for something in his bag.

"I'm just trying to be friendly. Don't read anything into it. I thought that your place might be terribly depressing and considering that my mum probably won't be home most of break, I thought I'd ask if you wanted a change of scenery."

Draco sat up as he felt his face cool off. "Think I don't have other friends to visit with?"

Kylie raised an eyebrow. "Do you?"

Draco signed, almost defeated. "Blaise will be in Italy with his mum. Theo's mum is angry that my dad got his dad thrown in prison. Pansy isn't technically allowed to speak to me anymore and the Greengrass' aren't our biggest fans either. So... No. I don't have anyone to see. Poor little Draco, right?"

"Then come see me. I'll be alone with no one to hang out with and so will you."

"What about Arizona? You don't want to see her?" Draco mindlessly flipped through his textbook.

"Right. My mother can't stand that I'm a witch. How would she feel if I surprised her with a girlfriend? That's another reason she's angry. She thinks I'm choosing you over her. She just doesn't understand. I don't know how liking the same sex is looked upon in Wizarding families, but an incredible amount of Muggle families frown upon it. My mother's heart would explode."

"Thought you said she wouldn't be home."

"Well, if by some miracle she decides to show up, I'd much rather her catch me with a boy than a girl."

"Your mother sounds terrible."

"She is terrible." Kylie's look of disdain turned to one of happiness quickly. "Think of it as a Muggle Studies lesson. You'll get to see how the lesser half lives and functions."

"You aren't any less because your mum is a muggle." Draco replied lazily, barely looking up from his book.

"Hold on. Can you repeat that slowly so I can make sure I remember it correctly?"

Draco scowled. "Don't be a cunt. People can change their minds and viewpoints as they grow. Mine must happened to change radically. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with my roommate, though. She's a bit of an arsehole."

"You say such kind words, Drake. It's good that you've changed how you see blood status. Growth is good."

"Couldn't take you home to meet the parents anytime soon, though. Not as long as my father is still the head of the house."

"One day you'll be head of the house and you can bring home whoever the fuck you want. Fuck the haters." Kylie managed to say with a straight face.

Draco raised an eyebrow and busted up laughing. "Dear Merlin, woman. You're going to make a fine housewife one day."

"What if I don't want to be a housewife? What if I want to be fucking Minister of Magic? Or the Prime Minister of England? Or maybe I'll just aspire to marry your mum. And then I'll be your stepmum and tell you what to do all day."

"Dream big, little Gryffindor." Draco winked, flashing a half-smile.

"I do dream big, thanks very much." Kylie rolled her eyes. "And I'm far from little."

"You're about a head and a half shorter than me. You're little."

"Yeah, well, you're uninvited to my house."

"What?! That's absurd! I was just stating a fact!" Draco crossed his arms and slumped down in his seat a bit.

"Who are you and what have you done with Draco Malfoy? Your name used send shivers of fear down the spines of first years. And now you're pouting because I, a _little Gryffindor_ and a half-blood to boot, disinvited you from visiting over the holiday?"

"I'm not pouting." Draco grumbled.

"And I'm the bloody Queen." Kylie deadpanned.

"You know, for someone who says they don't judge, you're pretty bloody quick to do just that. People change, alright?" Draco kept scowling and refused to make eye contact.

"Yeah, we've established that." Kylie was none too impressed.

"I don't have any friends. Not anymore. Happy? Is that what you want to hear? All of my 'friends' are still only my friend out of pity. My father's actions affected every fucking one of them and they feel sorry for me."

"Oh, fucking bollocks, Drake!" Kylie sat straight up and glared at Draco. "Blaise? Blaise is your fucking friend. Theo is your friend. Now, Pansy and Daphne? Drop them like a sack of potatoes. Fuck 'em. Pansy thinks you're under some obligation to marry her and Daphne does what Theo wants." She reached out and grabbed Draco's face in her hand and turned it to make him look her in the eyes. "And me. I'm your friend. I am not here out of pity. I'm here because I like you. We could have just been nothing more than roommates, but when you're not being an arse, you're a pretty decent fucking person." Kylie let go of Draco's face.

"Okay." Draco said quietly. "Okay."

"So, I don't want to hear that 'I don't have friends' bullshit again. You are not a one man wolf pack. You don't need to wallow in self-loathing. I'm your goddamn friend whether you like it or not."

"I said okay, woman!" Draco exclaimed.

His sudden outburst caused Kylie to go into a fit of giggles.

"What? What's so funny?"

"You!" Kylie said between laughs. "You're kind of fucking adorable when you get angry."

"I'm not _adorable_." Draco growled, which caused Kylie to laugh even harder.

Draco didn't know what to do. He had very rarely ever been in the presence of a woman who had been reduced to tears from laughing. Especially one that had been driven to this madness because of him. His eyes widened as Kylie began hyperventilating from laughing so much.

"Calm down?" It came out more of a question than a statement. "Meadows!"

"Yes?" Kylie squeaked out. She wiped her eyes and bit down on her bottom lip to try and calm herself down. "I'm sorry!" She was taking deep breaths. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She started laughing again, harder than before.

Draco couldn't take it anymore. She was going to make her head explode if she kept this up. He grabbed her arms and pulled her towards him, planting his lips on hers. The laughing immediately stopped. He felt Kylie begin to lean into the kiss before her eyes snapped open and she yanked herself backwards.

"What the fuck?" She pulled a confused face.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know how to shut you up."

Kylie pointed at Draco and furrowed her brow. "We don't speak of this. Ever." She rubbed her eyes. "Oh, fuck, I need a cup of tea." She stared at Draco for a second before swinging her legs away from him and getting up.

As she walked away, Draco smacked himself. "Am I still uninvited?"

"Fucking of course you aren't. I was joking." Kylie turned around after she shut the cabinet door.

Draco sighed, exasperated. "You were joking."

"Yeah, I was. And then you had to go and act like a little prat. Fucking spoiled always-get-what-I-want Malfoy. The embarrassment you feel right now for kissing me? You fucking deserve it."

Kylie finished making her tea in silence. She walked back to the couch and took her spot next to Draco.

"I'm not embarrassed." Draco tried defending himself.

"Your cheeks say otherwise."

That made Draco blush even harder. "I'm just going to go to bed. Possibly drown myself in my shame and embarrassment." He stood up, but Kylie grabbed his arm with her free hand.

Kylie sat her tea down on the table and stood up. She placed her hand on the crook of Draco's neck and leaned in, gently pressing her lips to his. She kissed him for a few seconds and then pulled away, smirking. "A real one for your troubles." With a wink, she let go of him. "Now, we definitely never speak of this."

Draco swallowed thickly and felt his trousers become a little tighter. "I-I... I really need to go to bed now. Goodnight." As he hurried to the stairs and up to his room, he could have sworn he heard a small chuckle and an amused tongue-click come from in front of the fire.

Xxxxx


	6. Chapter 6

**I Knew You Weren't**

 **Chapter Six**

Kylie watched lazily as Draco walked past her train compartment, stopped when he noticed her in there, and backtracked a little too open her door and walk in.

"You missed me too much, didn't you? Couldn't stay away. Poor boy." Kylie stretched her legs across her seat, leaving no room for Draco to sit next to her.

"Why aren't you with your friends?" Draco asked, taking the hint and sitting on the opposite bench.

"Why aren't you?" Kylie snapped. She closed her eyes for a second and sighed. "Sorry. I'm in a mood."

"Is this what happens when you self-destruct? Because if it is, it's not as obvious as when I do?" Draco kicked his feet up and leaned back.

"I'm not self-destructing. I was being self-deprecating, but it didn't have the same effect as there was no one here to enjoy it. So, now I'm just being melancholy and slightly depressed. What's your excuse?"

"Depression is a synonym of melancholy." Draco pointed out.

"Oh, look. The prince has read a thesaurus." Kylie rolled her eyes.

"You know what? I don't need this." He stood up. "Bye."

"Drake, sit your arse down. You know I don't mean it."

Draco sat, albeit with a sour look on his face.

"I apologize. Fuck."

"At the risk of worsening your mood, I came to tell you that I might not be able to visit over break. There's just a lot going on at mine. My mother-"

"It's okay. I get it." Kylie interrupted him.

"No, I want to come, but my mother is-"

"Draco, I said I get it. You don't need to make excuses."

"I'm not making excuses!"

"You are allowed to say no! I get it. It's a lot you aren't used to. A muggle house in a muggle neighborhood and town. I. Get. It."

"Well, I..." Draco trailed off.

"I wasn't trying to make you feel like you had to say yes. I just thought maybe you'd want to get away for a while. You can tell me no."

"I can say no." Draco stated.

"I'll be fine if you do." Kylie gave a small smile.

"I'll...try. I promise I will try. But don't hate me if I don't. A person can only change so much in a short amount of time." Draco breathed a sigh of relief. "What about you? What will you do?"

"I can write Ginny and go visit The Burrow. Most of my friends will be there anyways. I know I'll be welcome if I decide to go."

"You could go visit your girlfriend. That's always an option."

"Yeah, I, uh, could do that, too...I guess."

"If I don't come, promise me you won't be alone." Draco took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I don't mean to overstep by any means, but I don't want you to be by yourself."

"That's not overstepping. That's caring. Which, I know, is a new concept for you, so don't hurt yourself by caring too much too fast." Kylie winked.

"I'm not joking."

"I know. I understand. We've had each other to lean on these past few months and now we won't. I'll go to The Burrow if you promise me that you won't be alone either. Visit Blaise and his mum in Italy or something. Okay?" Kylie gave Draco a small smile and reached out for him to take her hand. He did and she gave it a small squeeze. "It's just a couple of weeks."

"I'll go to Italy." Draco replied, squeezing Kylie's hand in return.

"Oh! I have something for you." She let go of Draco's hand and reached for her bag. She pulled out a Polaroid and handed it to him. "This is my house. My address is on there, too. In case you change your mind." Kylie wrinkled her nose as Draco looked at the picture, confused. "It's so you have a visualization so you can apparate."

"Right. Right...I thought you lived in a muggle neighborhood."

"I do. But it's a pretty quiet one. I doubt you'll disturb anyone. Or that anyone will even notice."

"Okay." Draco gave a small nod, still looking at the picture of the quaint little brick house with a garden out front. "Did you do that? The flowers?"

"Actually, yes. I did. I'm kind of great with plants."

"You're also great at tooting your own horn." Draco smirked.

"I really am, aren't I?" Kylie laughed causing Draco to chuckle.

Draco glanced at his pocket watch and groaned. "We'll be at the station soon. I'd better go get my stuff."

"Okay. Yeah, I probably should, too."

Draco stood up to leave but paused at the compartment door.

"I'll write you every day. I don't care if you find that weird. I'm doing it."

Draco chuckled. "I'll write back to every one I get."

"I'll see you, Drake."

"Yeah, uh, see you." Draco left without another word, glancing back in time to see Kylie grin like an idiot.

When she was sure Draco couldn't see her anymore, she smacked herself in the face. "I'm a fucking idiot."

* * *

Kylie had just pulled her pizza out of the oven and sat it down on her dining room table to be cut when she thought she heard the familiar pop of apparition outside over the sound of massive gusts of wind. Picking up her wine glass to take a sip, she waited to see if she heard it again. She wasn't prepared for the obnoxious banging on her front door that caused her to almost choke on her wine.

She ran to her door and looked out of the peephole. A flash of blindingly white hair trying to hide under a hood shocked her and she flung the door open.

"Draco? What-"

"My father...my fucking father." Draco shivered, his cloak damp from the snow. His cheeks were red, but in anger. His eyes were puffy and his hands were balled into tight fists. "He's fucking dead."

Kylie pulled Draco into her house and into a hug with one arm and slammed her door with the other, wrapping both arms around him when the latch clicked.

"How long were you out in the snow? You're soaked." She asked, pulling back.

"I dunno. Half hour, maybe, before I apparated here."

"Strip."

"Really?" Draco snapped. "That's what I get? I come here because I had no where else to go and you want to get me naked?"

"Oh, gods. Not like- fuck. Your clothes are damp and you're shivering. Get undressed and get in front of the fireplace. I'll go get you something to wear."

"Oh." Draco looked embarrassed, his cheeks flushing darker.

Kylie ran back to her bedroom and pulled out a pair of grey men's sweatpants and a plain white t-shirt. When she walked back into the living room, Draco was warming himself in front of the fireplace in a pair of Slytherin-green boxers.

Kylie raised an eyebrow and stifled a laugh as she handed over the clothes. When Draco reached out to take them, she noticed his hands were bloody. "What did you do?"

Draco groaned as he put the clothes on, eyeing Kylie suspiciously when they seemed to fit perfectly.

"You don't get to give me judgemental looks. They aren't an ex's or anything. I just may or may not used to have a problem with shoplifting. Mainly things I didn't need like men's clothes. And baby clothes." Kylie shrugged. "I have a knapsack in my closet full of baby stuff."

"Right." Draco replied, checking out the damage to his knuckles.

"Are you hungry? I just took dinner out of the oven."

Draco could feel himself calming down immensely just being in the presence of his roommate. "Uh, yeah. I guess so. I could eat. I stormed out before dinner."

Kylie nodded once and left Draco in front of the fireplace again. She returned with two plates and two bottles of liquid. "You're in my world now, pureblood." She said as she sat the plates and drinks down on the coffee table. "Pizza and beer. Come on. Sit."

Draco set next to her on the couch, staring at the food in front of him. "Pizza and...beer?"

"Oh, yeah. No fancy roasted chickens or oak-matured mead here. I have wine, but sadly it wasn't made by elves." Kylie winked. "So, tell me," age asked, taking a quick bite of pizza. "What happened?"

"My father, he's, uh, he's dead." Draco tentatively picked up his pizza and took a small bite, making a surprised face when he realized it wasn't half bad.

"It happened today?"

"Uh, no." Draco gave an annoyed chuckle. "Apparently, it happened late September. My mother was afraid to tell me in a letter, wanted to do it face to face. So, she had been lying about him to me when she'd write. Saying things like he was adjusting and doing well. But you know, he had already killed himself. Slit his own throat."

"What a muggle way to go." Kylie mused as she took a sip of her beer.

"Ironic, isn't it?" Draco cleared his throat. "Anyways, I got angry, yelled at my mother, smashed a few things, and left. Walked around our property for about 30 minutes before I remembered the picture of your house was in my pocket."

"I'm sorry." Kylie gave a sympathetic smile.

"About what? Him? Good fucking riddance. I'm more angry about my mother."

"Okay, then, I'm sorry about your mum."

"She's lied for him my entire life. I should have expected her to lie about something like this, to be honest."

Kylie rolled her eyes. "Fine. Then whatever is bothering you, I'm sorry about. Just take my sympathy and shut up."

"Can we talk about something else, please?" Draco took a sip of his beer and grimaced a little.

"As you wish."

"So, uh, why'd you and Arizona break up?" Draco raised a brow as he bit into his pizza.

"What? No. We, uh, we didn't break... break up."

"You were by yourself in a compartment. I saw her moping around the castle as everyone was leaving and I didn't see her on the train. Which you didn't mention when I said you could go visit her. So, you must not have known she was staying behind."

Kylie looked less than impressed. "You Slytherin's are smarter than you look, aren't you?"

"What happened?"

"Nothing. Really. It's nothing."

Draco gave a short nod. "It was about me, then?"

Kylie pursed her lips and didn't answer right away. "Yeah. Kinda." She finally replied.

Draco gave get a look telling her to get on with it and say how it was because of him.

"I- I told her I kissed you. It's no big deal." Kylie shrugged.

"No big deal? It was a month and a half ago. Why even tell her now? It's not like it mattered anyways."

"We were headed for a breakup anyways. And I felt bad for keeping it from her. I just thought that it would be a good time to get it all over with. We wouldn't see each other for three weeks and it could be a clean break." Kylie ran her fingers through her hair.

"You should have felt bad for keeping it from her. It's not really polite to kiss other people when you're dating someone."

"I felt bad because I liked it. Not because I was with her when I did it. Is that what you wanted to hear? I didn't care that I had a girlfriend. I cared because it was a nice kiss and I liked it. And I shouldn't have liked it because I had a girlfriend."

"Oh." Draco didn't know what else to say.

"'Oh.' That's what I get? 'Oh.' I tell you I liked kissing you and you say oh." Kylie sat her food down and picked up her beer, taking a long swig from the bottle. "Oh." She scoffed.

"What am I supposed to say? 'Gee, thanks'?" Draco snapped.

"I liked kissing you and if that makes you uncomfortable, I'm sorry." She nodded her head to Draco's empty plate. "You done?"

Draco nodded and Kylie picked up their plates. She walked into the kitchen to deposit them into the sink, but didn't realize she was followed.

"I... may have liked kissing you, too." Draco said from behind her causing her to drop the plates in the sink with a loud crash. "But I can't-"

Kylie turned around and leaned against the counter, crossing her arms. "Can't what? Can't date me because of your reputation? I mean, what would Mummy Malfoy say about you fucking a Gryffindor half-blood? Or your little snake friends? You'd be a laughingstock, for sure."

"I didn't say anything about them! You think after all I've been through I give a fuck what they say?" Draco stepped closer to Kylie. "In my entire life, I've never been able to make my own choices. Not once!"

"Oh, yes. Poor little Malfoy, the whipping boy." Kylie rolled her eyes. "Can't do anything for himself. Everyone tells him what to do. Doesn't know how to make a choice without his hand being held. Boo fucking hoo."

"I made a choice when I decided to be your friend."

"Right. So, I'm your charity case? Because I should feel _so blessed_ that you _decided_ we could be friends?" Kylie interrupted him.

"Shut. Up. Woman! Let me speak!" Draco shouted, turning red. "When I met you, you were the first fucking person in months to look at me like I was a human being! You stood up for me. You were kind. You _saved my life_. Where were my so-called friends while you stayed by my bed all night? They certainly weren't there. But you were. You cared!"

"Of course I bloody care, you half-wit!" Kylie shouted.

Draco threw his hands in the air. "Merlin, you're irritating! Walking around the dorm in your underpants like you own the place! You're a fucking know-it-all. And your stupid rules! Gods, your stupid rules! And cheery! How can someone be so cheery ask the bloody time?! With your 'peace and love' and 'too zen for murder'! What does that even mean?!"

"You are, by far, the biggest prat I have ever met and I've hung out with Ronald bloody Weasley! But if you can find someone lying in a pool of their own blood and not care what happens, you're fucking heartless. And I know you would have done the same for me. Because deep down, under the pompous exterior, you're a good fucking person. And I see that even if no one else does." Kylie let out a deep sigh. "You're annoying and spoiled and completely ridiculous. But I fucking care about you. And I see the person you want to be."

"Shut up." Draco said, slightly amused.

"No. You're a prat and you're crazy. And a massive dick. And your fucking hair is too blond. It's unnatural." Kylie laughed a little because she was running out of insults.

"Just shut your fucking mouth." Draco grinned, closing the gap between them.

"I kind of hate you." She said as Draco pressed his lips to hers.

"I kind of hate you, too." Draco mumbled as he deepened the kiss, their lips moving in unison and their hands tangled in each others hair.

Draco moved one hand from Kylie's hair down and tugged at the hem of her tank top, but she swatted his hand away. He groaned and wrapped his arm around her waist instead, pulling her closer.

They snogged for quite a few more minutes before Kylie had to come up for air. She pressed her forehead to Draco's and let out a breathy laugh. "I think it's time for me to go to bed. Before this gets out of hand."

"That's probably a good idea." Draco chuckled.

"I'll get you a blanket and pillow. You can sleep on the couch."

Draco just nodded as Kylie pried herself away from him. He walked out to the living room in time to see Kylie leaving the blanket and pillow for him. "Um, goodnight."

"Night, Drake." Kylie winked. "We'll have an actual conversation about this tomorrow. No arguing."

"Right. Yeah." Draco laid down on the couch and wrapped himself up in the blanket before trying to get comfortable.

Kylie walked soundlessly to her room, leaving the door open just in case.

For the first time in months, she was asleep almost before her head hit the pillow.

She awoke a few hours later to feel a heaviness next to her and a warm feeling on the small of her back. She opened her eyes to see Draco sound asleep next to her worth his hand resting on her back. She leaned over a little, brushed the hair out of his eyes, and pressed a kiss to his temple.

She could have sworn she saw a smile appear on his lips as her eyes shut once more.

Xxxxx


	7. Chapter 7

**I Knew You Weren't**

 **Chapter Seven**

Kylie looked over at Draco and grinned as he opened his eyes. "You sleep well, princess?" She giggled as he blushed.

"Sorry. I, uh, couldn't sleep out there and well, you looked pretty peaceful..."

"I was." Kylie sighed, pulling the blankets around her shoulders. "You ever have those days where you just want to lay in bed all day?"

"Only if we lay in bed and talk about last night." Draco rolled from his stomach to his side and propped himself up on his elbow.

"What's there to talk about?" Kylie did the same, going from her back to her side, facing Draco. "We didn't do anything wrong. We're single. We're adults. We kissed."

"That's all you have to say about it? You're the one who said we'd have a conversation."

"We're two consenting adults. Legally, we can join the military, buy alcohol, and get married without permission. What more is there to talk about? We kissed. I mean, it was like ten minutes of amazing snogging. But it's not like we're going to get grounded. If we like each other, we're allowed to act on our feelings." Kylie bit her bottom lip. "Is that enough talking about it or would you like to share your feelings with the class?"

"I'm not really one to to talk about feelings."

"I've noticed. Unless you're yelling about something. Do I need to spell it out for you?"

"Not really." Draco smirked. "But you can if you want."

"Well, obviously I didn't kick you out of bed when I noticed you here in the middle of the night. When I kissed you back at school, I hoped it wouldn't be the only time. I like you. I liked kissing you. I would like to kiss you again and again." Kylie flopped onto her back and stared up at the ceiling. "I try to live my life doing what I feel makes me happy. And after what we've been through in the past few years, and maybe our whole lives even, why deny ourselves the simple pleasures we come across?"

Draco rolled onto his back as well, crossing his arms under his head. "It's not that simple sometimes."

"You're worried." Kylie turned her head towards Draco. "About your mum? Your friends?"

Draco gave a noncommittal shrug, still staring at the ceiling.

"Your mother doesn't control you. And neither does your father anymore. You can have a whole new life of your choosing now. And your friends... well, if they're really your friends, they'll be happy for you." Kylie laid her arm between her and Draco, conveniently laying her palm facing upwards.

"To be honest, I'm a bit more worried about your friends." Draco glanced down and saw her hand. He almost moved to grab it, but paused.

"My friends are coming around. They trust my judgement. Ginny was skeptical at first, but she's grown to tolerate you." She inched her hand a bit closer to Draco.

He finally got the hint and took his arm out from under his head. He reached down and took Kylie's hand, intertwining their fingers.

"Honestly, I'm glad part of your probation was that you had to come back to school. I don't think I would want to be Head with anyone else."

"You knew about that?" Draco asked, glancing over.

"I caught the tailend of your trial, where they gave you your probation agreement. Harry was there, though, for the whole thing. Which is why I think Ginny came around. He understands you a bit better now."

"Did he tell you? What all was said, I mean."

Kylie shook her head. "Nope. Well, he asked if I wanted to know, since we'd be living together. But I told him that if you wanted me to know, you'd tell me. It's none of my business."

"I'll tell you one day." Draco squeezed Kylie's hand a little. "When I'm ready."

"I can wait." Kylie smiled a little. "This is getting kind of depressing."

Draco chuckled. "A bit, yeah."

"Let's go back to the part where I was talking about kissing you. You never said how you felt about that."

"Kissing is good. I like the kissing. More than kissing would be good down the line." Draco smirked, as Kylie swatted his torso. "That can wait, though." He laughed.

"Yes. Yes, it can." Kylie giggled as Draco propped himself up and rolled on top of her, propping himself up on his elbows. "Just kissing."

"Just kissing." Draco repeated as he lowered his head to capture Kylie's lips.

As their lips moved in unison, one of Kylie's hands drifted up and she tangled her fingers in Draco's hair. The other hand gripped at the bottom of his t-shirt. Her fingertips grazed his stomach right above the waistband of his sweatpants.

"Don't be a tease." Draco groaned.

Kylie giggled. "Sorry." She whispered, kissing Draco once more and grazing her teeth along his bottom lip.

Draco growled and poured his frustrations into a deeper kiss, running his tongue across Kylie's bottom lip, begging entrance.

She parted her lips to let his tongue in and moaned a bit as he ran his hand through her hair.

Draco broke away and started planting kisses down Kylie's jawline to her neck. He kissed down to her collarbone and found a spot right above it that made her squirm underneath him. He glanced up to see her reaction as he gently bit her clavicle, but noticed her staring at his mutilated forearm. He immediately pushed up and onto his knees, sitting on his heels. He wrapped his hand around his Dark Mark and his face flushed. "Uh- sorry. It was distracting you, wasn't it?"

"Not at all. Quite the opposite, really." Kylie scrambled up into the same position as Draco, on her knees and sitting on her heels. She reached forward and grasped his arm, pulling it towards her. She ran her fingers over the scars and smiled a little. "Look. It's fading. I told you it would." She said, touching the visible parts of the tattoo. She pulled his arm a little closer and leaned over it, placing a small kiss on each individual scar.

When Kylie looked back up at Draco, he leaned over and reached around her, grabbing his wand out from under her pillow. He made the charm covering her arm vanish and exposed the scars it was hiding. Draco ran his hand over each line, pausing at the thickest one closest to her wrist. He kissed the scar from Kylie's suicide attempt and pulled her close to him, kissing her lips again.

"Look at us. So unbelievably broken."

"You have no idea." Draco replied, giving a small, dry chuckle.

"I'd like to, though. I want to know everything about you."

"You really don't. It's not a happy story."

"Neither is mine. But I like to think that one day I'll get my happy ending. And you will, too." Kylie smiled

"Yeah. Maybe."

* * *

Draco walked into the kitchen wearing nothing but a pair of basketball shorts. He snuck up behind Kylie, who was making dinner at the stove, and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Smells good." He said, as she jumped a little.

"You're dripping on me." She laughed, as she continued to stir her meatballs and sauce.

Draco took his head off of Kylie's shoulder, but kept his arms around her. "Should have let me cook. My mother taught me. I'm a fantastic cook, if I do say so myself."

Kylie put a lid on the pot and turned around, wrapping her arms around Draco's neck. "You can cook tomorrow." She kissed him quickly. "You have a good shower? You were in there a while."

"You kind of left me hanging in there with a, uh, little- well, slightly big problem that I needed to take care of."

Kylie chuckled. "Well, two days of voracious snogging will do that to a man, won't it? I apologize for your average-sized problem. But I'm not one to sleep around the first week of being with someone. And I applaud your patience."

"You're making fun of me."

"Only when I say average-sized. I meant the rest." Kylie leaned in to kiss Draco again. She paused, with her mouth on his, when she heard a key enter the lock on the front door. Her eyes popped open and she pushed Draco away. "Go to my room. Hurry. Um, pack a bag. Everything in the second and third drawers in my dresser. It's my mum. Don't come out. No matter what."

Draco nodded, not daring to say anything else because if the terrified look on Kylie's face. He kissed her quickly and made it down the hallway as the door opened. He closed the bedroom door as quietly as he could and grabbed Kylie's duffle bag.

He couldn't hear much, but he stained hard to listen anyways. He heard some unintelligible yelling and the harsh sound of skin contacting skin.

"Mum, no! I'm alone!"

"Two plates, wasting enough food to feed an army! You're lying, you little slut."

Another slap resounded down the hallway and Draco cringed.

More indecipherable yelling. A crash. A plate hitting the floor and breaking. Someone being knocked into the cabinets.

He finished filling the bag and looked around for anything else he thought Kylie would need. He pulled on a t-shirt as he heard what sounded like a body hitting the floor. Kylie's door flew open and Draco drew his wand.

He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Kylie standing there.

"We have to go."

"Are you-?" Draco paused, noticing Kylie had a split lip and a bright red circle forming under her eye. He reached forward to touch her but she dodged him.

"She won't be down for long. I stunned her. Hold on." Kylie ducked out of the room and returned with her toothbrush, toothpaste, and shower products. She threw them into the bag and zipped it. Tossing the bag over her shoulder with one hand, she reached for Draco with the other. "Just trust me."

"I do." He took Kylie's hand and noticed they were both shaking. He didn't have time to complete the thought before the familiar tug of apparition pulled at him.

The pair landed in front of a house Draco hadn't seen before, but he could guess who lived there. The house was tall and a bit messy. It looked like a million people could live in it.

Someone must have heard the pop and they landed because right after, Ginny ran outside to see who was there. She had a grin on her face when she saw Kylie, but it soon faded when she saw the state of her face. Ginny turned to Draco with a look of pure disdain.

"Did you do this?" Ginny asked, trying to stay calm.

"Gin. Stop. If he had, would I have brought him?"

Draco held his hand up. "No worries. Wasn't me."

Kylie licked the wound on her lip. "Can I go see your mum?"

"Of course." Ginny reached out and took Kylie's hand. "This was your mum, wasn't it?"

"Stay with Drake. Bring him in in a moment." Kylie made her way inside and found everyone in the living room.

Both Harry and Mrs. Weasley rose to greet her, but paused when they saw the state she was in.

"Oh, you poor dear." Mrs. Weasley said as she rushed over. "Come on, into the kitchen you go."

Kylie followed Mrs. Weasley closely, not realizing Harry was behind her.

"What happened?" Harry asked, as Mrs. Weasley began working on Kylie's face.

"Nothing, really. Don't worry about it." Kylie reached out to touch Harry's arm to reassure him. "Mrs. Weasley, I was just wondering if I could stay for the night. I know is the night before Christmas but-" She cringed as the salve Mrs. Weasley put in her lip began to burn.

"Of course you can. We don't mind. Stay as long as you like." Mrs. Weasley stepped back to look at what she'd done. "There. Almost back to normal."

"I don't want to intrude on your Christmas."

"You aren't intruding. Neville and Luna will be by tomorrow. I'll just need to set a bigger table. Don't you worry. You don't mind, do you, Harry?"

"Oh, no. I don't. The more the merrier." Harry smiled, knowing there was more to the story.

"I have someone with me. A, uh, friend. I know how most everyone here feels about him, but he was staying with me. And, well, now neither of us have anywhere to go right now." Kylie peeked out the window and waved to Ginny.

A moment later, Ginny and Draco entered into the kitchen.

"Oh!" Mrs. Weasley sounded a bit surprised.

But Harry just nodded. "Malfoy."

"Potter." Draco nodded back.

"Well, you're both staying here and that's the end of it." Mrs. Weasley clapped her hands together and began to make plans. "Obviously, Kylie will be rooming with Ginny. And, um, Charlie won't be here until morning, so George can room with Bill. And Draco darling, you can take George's room."

"Who's taking George's room?" Ron asked, walking into the kitchen. He glanced around as the room went silent until his eyes landed on Draco. "What the bloody hell is he doing here?!"

"Ronald!" Mrs. Weasley scolded.

"Ron, shut up. He's with me." Kylie rolled her eyes.

Draco could see the hate in Ron's eyes and decided he didn't want to be apart of the following conversation. He leaned over to Kylie and whispered, "It's just going to go wait outside."

"Probably best. I'll be out in in a minute."

Draco nodded and excused himself, walking out the door and back outside.

"Of course he's with you. You've always had terrible judgment." Ron scoffed.

Kylie lunged at Ron, but Harry and Ginny caught her. "I've not had the kind of day that has equipped me with the patience to deal with you. He's my friend. Your mother has kindly opened her home to us. Deal with it or fuck off."

"Ron, just go." Harry said calmly.

"Thanks." Kylie did, turning to Harry as Ron left the room.

"Well, Ginny's filled me in on everything this year. I know a lot more than Ron does."

Kylie nodded af then walked to Mrs. Weasley to give her a hug. "Thank you. I appreciate it." She said as Mrs. Weasley hugged her back.

"You will always be welcome here, dear. You know that." Mrs. Weasley patted Kylie on the shoulder.

Kylie gave a small smile. "I'm going to go find Draco. I'm sure it's not easy for him to be here as it's not easy for you to invite him in." She turned back to Harry and hugged him, too. "Please be onour side. He needs more people on his side. He doesn't have many."

Harry nodded. "If either of you need me, I'm here."

Kylie gave a small smile to Ginny and walked outside to find Draco.

Xxxxx

 **A/N: don't forget to review, favorite, and follow! Xoxo**


	8. Chapter 8

**I Knew You Weren't**

 **Chapter Eight**

Kylie walked outside to find Draco sitting on a bench under a giant oak tree. Her duffle bag was at his feet, opened, and he was drinking from a bottle of whiskey he had snagged from Kylie's bedroom.

Little did the pair know that Molly had followed Kylie outside. She kept her distance, but could hear everything being said.

"Hey." She said, sitting down next to him. "So, um, I didn't get a chance to apologize. I'm sorry you were there when that happened. That wasn't, uh, that wasn't something I wanted you to witness."

Draco handed Kylie the bottle of whiskey with a shrug. "She was drunk. It wasn't your fault."

Kylie took a quick swig from the bottle. "No, she wasn't- I mean, she just... she wasn't-"

"I may not know muggle alcohol very well, but I know drunk. And I know drunk and abusive. Don't make excuses for her." Draco took the bottle back and took another drink.

"Your father." Kylie replied, understanding where he was going.

"The drinking was mostly social or maybe a couple glasses at night. Occasionally, he'd whack me with his cane when I was being a prat. But that was it, at least until Vol-" Draco took a deep breath. "Until Voldemort took up residence in the manor."

"Is that where the scars on your back came from? He tortured you." Kylie knew she had a look of pure disgust on her face and it wasn't caused by the whiskey.

"When your _most precious Dark Lord_ tells you to practice your Cruciatus on your son, you listen. Or when he tells you to watch your sister use her particular brand of torture on your son, you listen." Draco sounded as disgusted as Kylie felt. "After that started, he'd get drunk and take it out on me."

"I'm so sorry."

"When did it start for you?" Draco took a big gulp of whiskey and pulled a face before handing the bottle over.

"I can't remember a time that she wasn't drunk. But it started the day after I turned eleven. She was at work when my letter came and I hid it. I had no idea what it meant, but I knew it was special. It was October, so the school year had already started. My dad's sister, who I'd never met, came the next day. She tried explaining everything to my mum, but she kicked her out. I went to bed with a black eye that night. My aunt came back the next day while I was home alone. When she saw my eye she decided to take me to her house. She packed me a trunk and I stayed there until school started. Somehow my mum convinced her it was an accident and it wouldn't happen again. And my aunt let her pick me up from the station at the end of the year. Obviously it happened again."

Molly couldn't contain herself anymore. "You poor things." She said, coming out of her hiding spot.

"Mrs. Weasley!" Kylie dropped the whiskey bottle as she jumped up. "I didn't, um, know you were there."

Molly came closer and Kylie could see the tears in her eyes. "Ginny tried to tell me things were bad. But I didn't realize- Does she know any of this?" She reached out and took Kylie's hand.

"She's figured out bits and pieces. I've not told her everything, though."

Molly motioned for Draco to come closer and when he did, she took his hand as well. "This won't do. Your parents should be ashamed of themselves. No, no. This will not do at all. When the school year is over, you both will come here."

"Oh, I couldn't possibly-" Kylie began.

Molly interrupted her. "You can and you will. Everyone but Ginny is gone. There's enough room. You both stay here until you get on your feet." She let go of Draco's hand and reached out to place her hand on his cheek. "Torturing my own son, I can't even imagine."

"Mrs. Weasley, I-" Draco started.

"Molly. Call me Molly."

"Um, okay. Uh, Molly, it's extremely, well, kind of you, considering everything...but my mother is all alone and I couldn't just...leave her there."

"Your mother, she was there when they were doing such terrible things to you? In your own house?"

Draco just nodded.

"No. You can't live there. You can't live in a house where you went through what you did."

"We'll think about it." Kylie smiled. "I think we should be getting to bed."

"Yeah, thank you, Molly but we're pretty beat." Draco paused and his eyes widened a bit. "That was a terrible phrase to use."

"Smooth, Drake. Smooth."

"Kylie, dear. You'll show him to George's room?"

Kylie nodded.

Molly gave a small, satisfied smile. "I'll see the two of you bright and early for breakfast. Goodnight."

As Molly turned to walk away, Kylie took Draco's hand and intertwined their fingers. "She means well."

"She has no right to be this nice to me. Not after how my father treated them."

"She's a good person. And a nice one. She's a mother and she likes to take in strays to take care of."

"Can we just go to bed now? I can barely keep my eyes open."

Kylie let out a small laugh. "I'm right there with you. Let's go."

* * *

Kylie gave a small knock on the door of George's room and opened it slightly. "Hey." She whispered. "You awake?"

Draco rolled over onto his side to look at the door and smiled a bit. "Of course."

Kylie walked into the room and shut the door quietly. As she walked over to the bed, Draco noted that she was wearing nothing but an oversized t-shirt abs bikini-cut underwear. She climbed in bed next to Draco and cuddled up to him, pressing her back to his bare torso.

"You can't sleep either?" He asked, wrapping his arm around her.

"Not a wink. And then I realized what was missing."

"Mm, what was that?" Draco asked, planting a small kiss in Kylie's shoulder.

"You, of course." Kylie sighed as she tried to cuddle up to Draco a bit more. "Try to be nice tomorrow. I'm sure everyone will be cordial, but on the off chance someone isn't, don't be an arse."

"Me? An arse? Never." Draco feigned surprise.

"You already know that Ronald will probably open his big mouth. Be nice. I can get away with punching him. You can't."

"Yeah, yeah. So, was Red okay with you sneaking out to see me or was she already asleep?"

"Actually, she had already snuck out to, uh, _see_ Harry." Kylie giggled.

"Oh." Then Draco understood what she was implying. "Oh! Eugh..."

"You know, people might say the same thing if they knew whose bed I was in."

Draco moved his hand and began lightly dragging his fingertips up and down Kylie's thigh. "Probably."

Kylie rolled onto her back and pulled Draco on top of her. He settled between her legs and propped himself up with his elbows on either side of her head. "I'm tired of depressing talk." She placed her hand on his hips and smiled. "Kiss me already."

"Say no more." Draco bent his head down and captured Kylie's lips.

One of his hands strayed again and grabbed at the hem of her shirt, pulling it up a bit. He let go of the material and let his hand travel up her side underneath the shirt. His thumb grazed the side if her breast, and she started to moan but caught herself and pushed him away.

"You won't even let me do that? Really?" Draco asked, sitting back on his heels.

"Things like that lead to sex. And I don't want that." Kylie sighed and closed her eyes when she realized how that sounded. "I mean, I do want it. With you. Just- just not now." She opened her eyes back up and bit her lip.

"Your mother called you a slut. Is that why you're so weird about sex? She calls you that often?"

"Don't go all psychology-student on me, okay? One, I just got out of a relationship and stopped having sex with someone five days ago. And two, every relationship where I've jumped into sex had ended badly. At this point, maybe my mother is right. I mean, for fuck's sake, I hadn't been single for 24 hours before I was home alone and thinking about you while I masturbated."

Draco raised an eyebrow. That statement piqued his interest a bit.

"Oh, please. Don't act like you're so innocent." Kylie rolled her eyes. "Look, sex is great. Sex is fucking awesome. I highly recommend it. But I just want to enjoy us for a bit before we-"

Draco leaned forward and kissed Kylie, effectively shutting her up. "Enough. I get it. If we have sex tonight or tomorrow or a year from now... it won't change how I feel about you and it certainly won't make me think any less of you."

"Well, listen to you being all mature." Kylie smirked. "Merlin, I love a good redemption story. I can see Rita's headlines now. 'Slytherin Sex God Changes Ways For Half-blood Gryffindor'. Your mother would have a heart attack."

"My mother can sod off." Draco chuckled. He glanced over at the small clock on the dresser. "It's after midnight. Let's start this day out good and maybe it'll end that way too."

"Merry Christmas, Drake."

Draco rolled back onto his side of the bed with a large smile plastered on his face. "Merry Christmas, darling."

Xxxxx


	9. Chapter 9

**I Knew You Weren't**

 **Chapter Nine**

Kylie made her way downstairs as everyone was sitting down to breakfast. As Bill and Mr. Weasley gave her small sympathetic smiles, she assumed Molly had told them everything. She returned the smiles and walked into the kitchen to grab a drink.

After filling her glass in the sink, she turned to walk out and jumped at the shock of seeing Bill leaning against the doorframe. "You doing alright?"

"I've had better days." Kylie shrugged, leaning against the counter. She sat her glass down and crossed her arms.

Bill stepped forward and reached for Kylie, brushing his thumb against the small, fading scar on her lip.

"Don't be doing things like that. Your wife might get jealous." Kylie winked.

"Nah, she knows you're like my sister."

Kylie placed her hand over her heart and feigned disappointment. "Oh, you wound me, William."

Bill could only chuckle. "You should have told us. We would have gotten you out of there."

"It's not your problem. I was fine. I mean, fine when she wasn't home, at least. I didn't want to burden anybody."

"You wouldn't have been a burden. You know that. Mum would have been more than willing to take you in."

Kylie gave a small smile. "I'm a big girl, William. I went to school. I had a job when I was home so I could make my own money. I was fine."

"Oh, of course. You look completely fine. Showing up here with a busted lip, a black eye, and a Malfoy. Completely fine." Bill gave Kylie an amused look.

"I can take care of myself."

Bill reached forward and pulled Kylie into a hug, pressing a kiss on the top of her head. "Let us know if that changes."

Kylie broke the hug and smiled. "Hey, I'm a strong, independent woman that doesn't need a man to help her."

Bill raised an eyebrow and Kylie laughed.

"I will let you know."

She exited the kitchen with her cup and grabbed a plate from the table. "Is it alright if I just take some food upstairs?"

"Of course, it is, dear." Molly stood up and took the plate from Kylie and began filling it as full as it could handle. "Here you go. We'll open presents in a couple hours. I'll come get you when we're ready."

"Oh, no. It's fine. Really."

"Then, I'll come get you." Bill spoke up from the door to the kitchen.

Kylie rolled her eyes and Ron mumbled under his breath. "Something you'd like to share, Ronald?"

All eyes were on Ron and he blushed a deep crimson. "No. Nothing."

Kylie nodded to everyone and made her way back to the stairs. She heard the stomping of feet behind her and groaned as Ginny grabbed her arm, pulled her into the closest room, and shut the door behind them.

"What's going on with you and Malfoy?" Ginny demanded, crossing her arms.

"What are you talking about?" Kylie asked, placing her plateful of food on the nightstand.

"When I got back to the room last night, you were gone. I went to look for you and couldn't find you. There's only one room I didn't look in because you couldn't _possibly_ be that stupid. But you never came back."

"Why does it matter if I was in the room with him?" Kylie sighed.

"Are you fucking Malfoy?"

"You're fucking Harry!" Kylie stated, exasperated.

"That's different! He's not..." Ginny trailed off.

"What? He's not Draco?"

"I've tried to be nice, for your sake. Because he's your friend. But he's still Malfoy. Nothing changes that. Nothing changes everything he's done."

"You obviously haven't talked to Harry, then. You have no idea what you're talking about." Kylie sat down in a nearby chair and groaned. "Look. Promise me you won't say anything. It's not my place to be telling you."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "I promise."

"They tortured him. Lucius, Bellatrix, the lot of them. They used him for practice. Lucius beat him. He's got the scars if you want proof."

Ginny's arms dropped and her eyes fell to the floor. She shoved her hands in her pockets and did an awkward shuffle with her feet. "Oh."

"I thought you might be a little more understanding after we found him half-dead trying to cut off his Dark Mark. But I guess not."

"I didn't mean-"

Kylie cut her off. "To answer your question, no. We aren't fucking. But we understand each other. I'm not exactly sure what we are, but we aren't fucking." She reached forward and took Ginny's hand. "Gin, you have to understand the fact that you _don't_ understand what it's like. And I am so grateful that you don't understand. You have such a wonderful family that has so much love to give. Enough that they can love each child equally and still has some left over for the unloved ones. You have a mum who takes in the stray ones, like Harry and I, and treats them like her own. I will be forever grateful, as your best friend, that you haven't experienced life the way that Harry, Draco, and I have."

Ginny chewed her lip and gave Kylie an extremely guilty look. "I'm sorry. I don't know what else to say besides that."

"You don't have to. Just... Draco gets it. And as shitty as it sounds, it's nice to have someone that knows what it's been like for me. So, please, just let him be my friend. No more passing judgement on past actions."

Ginny just nodded as Kylie pulled her into a hug.

"Can I go eat my breakfast now?"

Ginny gave a small laugh. "Of course. Go ahead."

The pair broke their hug and Kylie picked her plate up. Ginny opened the door for her and gave a small nod as Kylie headed up the stairs.

Less than a minute later, she was opening the door to George's room. "I come bearing gifts!" She said, holding the plate up.

"That took a bit longer than I expected it to." Draco said as Kylie sat down next to him.

"Well, Bill stopped me in the kitchen to see if I was alright. And then Ginny stopped me to get onto me for sleeping in here last night."

"Oh, I get it." Draco said, picking up a piece of bacon.

"Get what?"

"You and Bill. That's why Weasley hates you. You guys had a thing." Draco raised a curious eyebrow.

"What? No. That's absurd."

"Your eyes practicality started twinkling when you said his name." Draco chuckled.

"Okay, fine. I've...had a crush on Bill since I met him when I was 13. During Christmas break, fourth year, he caught me out back behind the garden drunk and cutting myself. He helped me clean up and sat out there with me drinking for a while. We may have snogged a bit. We regretted it as soon as it happened and we've never spoken about it. No one knows about it." Kylie shrugged. "Ronald is still holding a grudge because I dated Fred for a year and a half, before they left school, instead of dating him."

"Working your way through the family, then? You have a thing for gingers?" Draco shook his head, laughing.

"I do not have a thing for gingers! I've only dated one Weasley."

"And snogged one." Draco pointed out.

"Fine. And snogged one. But I happen to have an eclectic taste in dating. I dated Dean Thomas for almost a year and... I dated Cormac Mclaggan for, like, a week." Kylie stuck her tongue out in disgust. "He's a terrible kisser. And I also dated Seamus, Oliver Wood, and Lee Jordan."

"Your definition of eclectic is very narrow. All of those mentioned were Gryffindors."

"What can I say? I like my men brave and chivalrous." Kylie rolled her eyes. "Arizona was a Hufflepuff. And I dated a girl from Ravenclaw. I have eclectic taste. Although... you, sir, are my first Slytherin."

"Should I be honored?" Draco asked, taking a bite of toast.

"I dunno. Are you?"

"A little." Draco gave a shy chuckle. Something that most people weren't used to seeing from the usually pompous boy. "You must think I'm brave and chivalrous. So, there's that."

"Brave? Possibly. Chivalrous? You're working on it."

" _Possibly brave_? Just possibly? Really? Thanks. Arse." Draco gave Kylie a look that very closely resembled a very shoddily-practiced stink eye.

Kylie winked. "You're incredibly brave." She leaned forward to kiss Draco, but pulled back when Bill knocked and opened the door.

"Presents soon. Neville and Luna are on their way."

"Thanks." Kylie replied, blushing slightly at almost being caught kissing Draco.

Bill nodded and shut the door behind him.

"I have a present for you, but I left it at school. I didn't think I'd be seeing you and I wanted to be there when you opened it."

"I didn't get you anything." Draco replied, sheepishly.

"That's okay. We didn't really talk about gifts. Speaking of, we should head down." Kylie went to get up but Draco didn't move.

"I think I'll sit this one out. There's nothing down there for me and they don't want me here anyways."

Kylie stood up from the bed and grabbed Draco's arm."Molly will have made sure there's something there for you. And I don't give a fuck what everyone else thinks. Molly said you could be here and that's what counts."

Draco groaned. "I don't want to go." He said, whining like a child.

Kyle pulled his arm and got him off of the bed. She pulled him close to her and he wrapped his arms around her waist. "I'll give you an extra special Christmas gift later if you go down there."

"Mm, and what kind of gift would that be?" Draco leaned forward and kissed Kylie quickly.

"If I tell you, it won't be a surprise." Kylie winked. "Come on."

"This gift better be worth it." Draco mumbled as Kylie took his hand and dragged him out of the bedroom and down the stairs.

Xxxxx

 **A/N: So, I was on the HP Wikia the other day, hitting the 'random page' option and pulling up random articles within the Wikia, when an interesting one popped up. Apparently, there is, in the HP universe, an Australian Quidditch player (a beater, to be exact) named Kylie Meadows. Totally coincidental that it's what I named my OC. I was kind of cracking up when I saw it.**


	10. Chapter 10

**I Knew You Weren't**

 **Chapter Ten**

As Draco and Kylie entered the living room, the front door opened and in walked the last Weasley to arrive.

"Charlie!" Kylie exclaimed, running to him and throwing her arms around his neck.

Charlie wrapped his arms around Kylie's waist and picked her up, spinning himself in a circle. He placed her back on you floor and took her face in his hands to assess the damage. Her black eye was a faint greenish-yellow and the scar on her lip looked weeks old. "I could send a dragon after her. No one would have to know."

"Does everyone know about this now?" Kylie raised an eyebrow.

"Mum may have wrote me last night." Charlie said sheepishly.

"We'll talk later. And no dragons." Kylie winked and made her way back to Draco. She took the seat next to him and smiled.

The presents were handed out quickly, with even Draco and Kylie each getting handed one present each.

As soon as they were all handed out, everyone tore into their gifts. Draco opened his package slowly, not knowing what to expect inside. His face turned red, and Kylie beamed, when he pulled out an emerald green sweater with a silver D on the front.

"Um, thanks." Draco said quietly. He gave the sweater a once-over before folding it in his lap.

Kylie nudged him in the side with a wink as she opened her own purple sweater. "I've been needing a new one, Molly. My mum threw out the last one you gave me."

Molly just tutted. "I had to sets of knitting needles going as fast as they could all night long for the two of you. They barely finished on time."

"Well, we really appreciate them. Thank you."

The unwrapping of gifts was over as soon as it had began and, after a brief moment of comparing, everyone was abandoning their piles of presents to race outside.

Kylie and Draco followed slowly behind.

"You're just extra friendly with all the Weasley men, then?" Draco asked as they stepped outside.

"You mean Charlie?" Kylie chuckled. "It's not like that with him. I'm not exactly his type."

"How can you not be? You're fucking gorgeous."

"Well, thanks. But it's not... okay, you know how basically everyone is my type?"

Draco let out a small, breathy laugh. "Bit selfish of you, really."

"Yeah, well... Charlie has one type. And it's more...you...than me, if you catch my drift."

"Oka- OH." Draco cleared his throat. "Okay. Well, then."

Harry jogged up to the pair carrying his broom, slightly out of breath. "Fancy a game of quidditch, Malfoy? We have a couple extra brooms."

"You should go play." Kylie nudged Draco in the ribs.

Draco opened his mouth to speak when Charlie came up behind Kylie and threw his arm around her shoulders.

"Steal you away for around second, Meadows?" He asked, grinning.

She looked between Harry and Draco with a grin. "You won't be stealing anything. Draco is going to play quidditch."

"Right on. What position do you play?" Charlie asked.

"Uh, seeker. But it's been a while."

"Kick Harry's arse for me. Don't need him getting a big head about anything else." Charlie clapped Harry on the shoulder with his free hand.

Draco gave about small chuckle and began to follow Harry back to where the group about to play was. He looked back once and gave Kylie about small wave.

"What's that all about?" Charlie asked as he led Kylie over to a shade tree. He plopped down at the base and she followed suit.

"Oh, we'll get to that. My questions first. How much does everyone know now?"

"In mum's letter, she told me that Bill told everyone he knew as bit more than he let on. Something about you being drunk and spilling secrets."

"Nothing else about what happened while I was drunk?" Kylie tried sounding nonchalant.

"Oh, I knew it. I had my suspicions anyways."

Kylie scrunched her nose up in embarrassment. "Aw, fuck."

"And you didn't tell me because-?"

"What exactly did you want me to say? 'Oh, by the way, your brother caught me out back drunk and mutilating myself. So, he cleaned me up, drank with me, and we fucked behind a giant pumpkin'?" Kylie couldn't control her laughter. "I fucked your other brother in the woodshed. Did'ya want the details of that, too?"

"No, pretty much everyone knows about that. Why'd you think Ron is so bitter over you and Fred still?" Charlie chuckled and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. He passed one to Kylie and stuck one in his mouth before lighting both. "What's precious Fleur think about that?"

"It was 4th year. They hadn't even met yet. So, she doesn't even know. And I only told Draco there was snogging. So don't you dare fucking say anything."

Charlie pretended to zip his lips closed. "My lips are sealed." He took a drag off of his cigarette and let the smoke out slowly. "So, now will you tell me what's up with you and Draco? Ballsy bringing him here."

"I dunno what it is. He just gets me. And I know that my interactions with him up to now were nonexistent, but from what I've observed of him before this year... I don't know, Charlie. He's not the same."

"None of us are."

Kylie nodded in agreement. "It's not much yet. And I don't want to jinx it. But I really like him. And who knows, it could all blow up in a week. And we could just go up in flames."

"If you like him, I can give him a chance." Charlie wrapped his free arm around Kylie and pulled her close. "Just let him know I still work with dragons. I'm itching to set one loose on your mother, but I'm willing to set one on him instead."

Kylie glanced over at the quidditch game and noticed everyone but Ron seeming to have a good time. "No dragons."

"You, miss, are no fun."

* * *

That night, after dinner, Kylie made her way to George's room and let herself in.

"Look who made new friends." She stated as she sat on the end of the bed and kicked her shoes off.

"Yeah, well." Draco said shortly, not looking up from the book he was reading.

"What's got you in a knot?" Kylie asked as she crawled up the bed and tried to cuddle up to Draco.

Draco threw his book on the floor and pulled away. "It's nothing." He pulled the blanket up around himself. "I'm tired and I'm going to sleep. You can stay or go. I don't really care."

Kylie furrowed her brow and shot Draco a disgusted look. "I thought you were having a good time today. All laughs and whatnot at dinner, even. There's only room for one bipolar in this relationship. I don't have enough meds to share."

"Relationship? Is that what you think this is?" Draco sneered.

"That's kind of what I was assuming, yeah."

"You and I? We'll never work. So, either stay and we can fuck around or you move the fuck on."

Kylie pulled the sleeves of her Weasley sweater around her hands and stood up. "Have you just been playing me this whole time? The 'nice Draco' thing was, what? A façade?" She asked as she wrapped her arms around herself.

"Go to bed, Ky." Draco grumbled as he rolled over with his back facing her.

Kylie just hung her head and turned to walk out. As she opened the door, she stepped on a piece of parchment. Closing the door behind her, she opened the paper and scanned through it, quickly realizing it was a letter from Narcissa.

Kylie quietly made her way to Charlie's room and walked in, climbing in bed next to him.

"Well, you haven't done this in a while. What's up?" Charlie asked groggily.

"I think it just blew up." Kylie replied, handing over the letter. "Kaboom."

Xxxxx


	11. Chapter 11

**I Knew You Weren't**

 **Chapter Eleven**

 _My darling Draco,_

 _I was beside myself when I realized you had gone. No note, nothing. So, I'm not sure where this letter will end up. I've asked around and was shocked to learn from your friends that you had been spending your free time with a Gryffindor girl. And a half-blood, no less. Your father would be absolutely appalled. While I understand that she is the Head Girl, your duty as Head Boy is to Hogwarts and representing Slytherin house, not her. I do hope you aren't with her now. After the events of the past few years, and the discretion at your father's hand, it has been difficult to get the Greengrass family to uphold their end of your marriage contract. I have finally, after weeks of correspondence, gotten them to keep their end of the deal. This could ruin our chances. I hope you will find your way home so we can deal with this ourselves._

 _Love, mother._

* * *

The next morning, Kylie quickly found Draco sitting beneath the same tree she has sat under with Charlie the day before. She walked up slowly, trying to find the right thing to say.

"So, which Greengrass are you engaged to?" Well, that wasn't it.

"I'm not _engaged_." Draco spat out the word like it was poison.

"Not according to your mother." Kylie held the letter out and Draco immediately jumped up and snatched it away.

"Going through my things now? Childish." Draco quickly folded the letter up and shoved it in his pocket. "You shouldn't meddle in things that aren't your business."

"I didn't go through your things. It was on the floor and I stepped on it on my way out of the room last night. Is that why you were being such an arse? Trying to push me away?"

"You don't understand! My mother-"

"Is using you!" Kylie interrupted. "She's using your father to get to you. Take it from someone with a more than toxic parent. They do what they want. And they back you into a corner to get you to do what they want."

"Don't you dare speak of my mother like that again." Draco said through gritted teeth. "She's nothing like your mother."

"Oh, you're right about that. She's worse." Kylie crossed her arms. "If you want to go home, I'm not stopping you. But I will stop this, whatever we are. I won't sit idly by and be a distraction or a placeholder until you have to get married."

"What happened to Gryffindors fighting for what they wanted? You're not very good at that."

"If I fought for you and had to compete with your mother, I'd lose every time. I'm not going to fight for you over this. You leave and we're done. I will just be your Head Girl, because we have a gala to plan when we get back to school. And maybe I can be your friend. But nothing more. If picking my battles makes me a terrible Gryffindor, then they sorted me too soon." Kylie just shrugged and pressed her mouth into a line.

"Right then. I'm not worth it?"

"Oh, you're worth it. Going head to head with Narcissa Malfoy isn't." Kylie bit her lip and shrugged. "Go home. She needs you more than I do." She turned in her heel and walked away, not looking back.

Neville was leaning against the front door frame, with his arms crossed and a sly look on his face. He opened his mouth to speak, but Kylie rolled her eyes.

"Can it, Longbottom." She snapped.

"Wasn't even going to say anything." He leaned over as she walked past him. "Told you so." He whispered in her ear as she passed. Which earned him a quick slap on the arm.

"I said can it." Kylie rolled her eyes again.

* * *

 _(A month prior)_

 _Neville fell backwards onto Kylie's bed as she dug in her messenger bag._

 _"Can I steal this comforter?" He asked with a content sigh. "I'm stealing it."_

 _Kylie turned around, box of chocolate in hand, and plopped down next to him. "Steal it and I'll kill you."_

 _"So, you know I'm not just here for the chocolate and great company."_

 _"I know." Kylie replied, shoving a piece in her mouth. "Ginny sent you in to spy on me."_

 _"I'm not spying! I'm..."_

 _"Collecting intel?" Kylie winked._

 _"Basically." Neville chuckled as he took a piece of chocolate from the box. "She's worried about you."_

 _"Why? I have done nothing that could be construed as worrisome."_

 _"You're friends with Malfoy. That's worrisome. You spent the night in the hospital wing with him. Which is also-"_

 _"Worrisome, yeah. I got it. We're just friends. And you may scoff and roll your eyes, but he's actually been pretty decent."_

 _"We just know him better than you do. We're looking out for you." Neville smiled as he took another chocolate._

 _"Yes, you have more experience with him than I do. But I think that makes you a little biased. People change, Nev, all the time."_

 _"Not that drastically." Neville rolled over onto his side and propped himself up on his elbow. "We don't want you getting hurt. I don't want you getting hurt."_

 _"If I get hurt, you'll be the one I run to. Deal?" Kylie winked._

 _"Deal." Neville blushed a little. "Just keep your guard up as long as you can. He's not worth the fight."_

 _"I'm worth the fight, though. So, you never know."_

 _"That, you are." Neville chuckled. "That, you are."_

* * *

Neville followed Kylie into the kitchen, where she started to make a cup of tea.

"You're not funny, Nev."

"I'm not trying to be funny. I'm trying to look out for you." Neville replied, hopping up to sit on the counter.

"I'm tired of people looking out for me!" Kylie snapped. "I am not some delicate little flower that needs constant care!"

Neville's hand shot out and grabbed Kylie's arm. He pulled up her sweater sleeve and with a flick of his wand, the glamour charms vanished. "This says otherwise."

"How'd you know about that?"

"I overheard Bill telling Harry earlier. I had suspicions anyways."

Kylie closed her eyes and jerked her arm away, pulling her sleeve down in the process. "I'm not going to relapse because of a dumb boy, if that's what you're thinking. I take medications to keep me sane and stable. I'm not a crazy psycho."

"You don't have to tell me that. But everyone is a little worried you've gone off the deep end. You show up here, bruised to hell, with Malfoy tagging along. It's all a bit suspect."

"It wasn't him!"

"We know. Bill went to your house this morning. Your mum was still out cold and he saw the hole your head left in a cabinet door. Your dinner was still on the stove."

"What's your point?" Kylie tried to ignore the tiny pinpricks of tears fighting to form.

"Everyone is wondering why you never said anything. And if it was that bad, they think you're acting out by hanging around Malfoy."

"He makes me happy." Kylie whispered. "He's not...he's different now. Not that that matters anymore because his mother runs his life. So, I don't think any of you will have to worry about us much longer."

"Well, we're going to keep worrying, because you like to keep things from us."

"What did they do to my mum?" Kylie asked, trying to change the subject.

"Cleaned up any sign that you had been there, woke her up, wiped her memory… said they were the police and the neighbor called because of a ruckus. Told her she must have passed out. She has no idea you even came home." Neville raised an eyebrow as he caught on. "Oy, don't change the subject."

"Sorry if I'm tired of beating a dead horse. You don't know him like I do and I don't know him like you do. And that's all well ever agree on on this subject. Say, do you remember… the fact that your didn't like me when we first met?"

"What? Bollocks!"

Kylie laughed. "But you did! You thought I was loud and obnoxious. And that I tried way to hard to make friends. Until you found out about my dad and how he died. And then you took the time to talk to me and found out why I was the way I was. Plus, we learned we had a bit in common."

Neville nodded as he understood the point Kylie was trying to make. "I'll give him a chance if it makes you happy. Obviously something is different there, or he would willingly be sleeping in a Weasley's bed."

Kylie gave Neville a small smile. "Thank you. Even if he and I don't work out, I'd still like everyone to play nice."

"Just… if you really feel this way about him..." Neville reached out and laid a comforting hand on Kylie's shoulder. "Let him do this his way. Families like his… they have a lot of rules and he might not know how to defy those quite yet, even if he wants to. Let him go and he'll come back when he's ready."

"He's supposed to be marrying a Greengrass. It's so archaic. I mean, arranged marriages? People still do that?"

"Keeps the bloodlines pure, if you're worried about that sort of thing." Neville shrugged. "Let him figure this out on his own. He's a Slytherin for a reason. He'll do what he has to to get what he wants. And I doubt he wants to marry a Greengrass. 'Specially if he's got you."

"Thanks, Nev." Kylie reached out and pulled Neville into a hug. "Thank you."

"Anything for you." Neville smiled as they broke the hug. "You need your own happy for once."

"Maybe someday, I'll get my happy. Who knows." Kylie wrinkled her nose at Neville and gave him another hug. "I gotta go talk to a Snake." She winked.

"Go get 'em." Neville winked back. He crossed his arms and shook his head as he leaned against the counter and watched her walk away.

Xxxxx


	12. Chapter 12

**I Knew You Weren't**

 **Chapter Twelve**

Kylie was making her way down to the kitchen when she noticed the door to George's room was cracked open. She peeked in and saw Draco standing with his back to the door, folding clothes. Opening the due, she walked in and leaned against it with her hands behind her back to close it.

"So, you're leaving, then?" she asked, causing Draco to jump.

"Um, in the morning. Molly convinced me to stay for dinner and made me promise I wouldn't face my mother unrested."

Kylie nodded to the clothes in his hands. "And you're taking my clothes with you?"

"Actually, I just washed them for you. Didn't want to leave you with dirty clothes."

Kylie dropped her head a bit. "Oh. Well, okay, then. Nothing left for me to say." She turned to open the door, but Draco caught her arm. She turned to face him, trying to not show any emotion.

"I will fix this." He said, pulling her close to him.

"And what if you can't?" Kylie asked, placing her hands on Draco's chest. She could feel his heartbeat quickening underneath his sweater.

"I will." Draco's hands rested on Kylie's hips. "I promise. You are the one I want." His lips brushed across hers.

One of Kylie's hands drifted up and tangled in his hair. The sight tug she gave made Draco forget where there were. "I want you, too." She pressed her lips to his.

Draco took a step backwards as their mouths moved frantically together. He say on the edge of the bed and pulled Kylie down on top of him, straddling his lap. "You sure about this?" He asked as his hands gripped the hem of her sweater.

"More than anything."

"Say it again." Draco bit his lip as he pulled Kylie's sweater off with ease.

"I want you." She reached around and unclasped her bra, dropping it to the floor. She ran her hands through Draco's hair and he closed his eyes.

Draco placed a small, slow kiss between Kylie's breasts before he wrapped one arm around her waist and flipped her over and onto the bed, placing himself between her legs. "No turning back now."

"Wasn't planning on it." Kylie replied, shimmying out of her pajama bottoms. "No turning back." She repeated, as Draco slid off her underwear.

He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers again. Their lips moved in unison as Kylie ran her fingers through Draco's hair. Draco brushed his thumb against her cheekbone. A wry chuckled escaped his lips as he pressed himself against Kylie and she gasped.

* * *

An hour and a half (and three rounds) later, Kylie laid in bed next to Draco with her head on his chest. "So, what now?"

"What do you mean 'what now'?" Draco asked, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"I mean, what do we do now? We…go down and eat dinner, go to bed, and then you leave in the morning. Are we just going to pretend this is it? That we didn't just have break-up sex?"

"You're not being fair."

"You're the one that's leaving. I don't think you're being fair, either."

"Don't think of it as break-up sex. Think of it as…" Draco paused whine he thought of a good alternative.

"'We're on a break until my mother dies or I tell her to fuck off' sex?"

Draco chuckled. "Yeah, basically."

"Your mother will probably outlive us all just to spite you. And I'll die before you tell her to fuck off."

"You could give me a little credit, you know." Draco pressed a kiss to Kylie's forehead.

"I could? Really?" She winked.

"Shut up."

A sharp knock came from the door and Ron's disgruntled voice said "Dinner's ready." Before he stomped off.

"One last meal together?"

"Okay, I'm actually starting to get tired of that." Draco groaned. "Have some semblance of faith in me."

Kylie lifted up and kissed him. "Okay. I have faith in you."

* * *

Ginny watched from the window as Kylie and Draco said their goodbyes at the front gate. A look of discontent crept across her face as Draco stepped back and was gone with a pop.

As she walked inside, all eyes were on her. Ginny tried to reach out to comfort her, but Kylie just shook her head and walked into the kitchen. She didn't realize Ron was in there until it was too late.

"So, come to your senses, did you?" He said, leaning against the counter.

"I don't really have time for your shit, Ronald. So, if the next words out of your mouth are rude, I will punch you."

"Sorry. I'm just a bit confused. Of all people, why him? Why Malfoy? You know how he is, what he's done… You don't-"

"Do not say 'you don't know him like we do'. I've heard that one too many times. And I'll tell you what I've told everyone else. You don't know him like I do. People change, Ronald. Sometimes for the good."

"Don't get snippy with me. I'm just trying to look out for a friend." Ron held his hands up in mock surrender.

"We've never really been friends, Ron. So, that's not a valid excuse. It's a copout."

"What do you mean 'we've never been friends'? We're friends...kind of."

"Ronald. No. First year, I didn't really talk to anyone, so that is on me. But the next year, after Ginny and became friends, you never even tried to talk to me. You kind of just stared at me and it got kind of creepy. And let's not forget third year, When you and Hermione started pussyfooting around each other. You got extra weird and stare-y. And after that, you started hating me."

"I never hated you, per say. l was just... a bit jealous."

"Jealous." Kylie scoffed. "What for? Because I never had a crush on you?"

"Well, You seemed to like everyone of my siblings but me. You can't have all of them, you know. And, well, you know…Fred. Fred knew I liked you."

"I let you keep Percy." Kylie winked. "Seriously, though. It was nothing to do with you. Bill… Bill was a crush. I was 13 and he had an earring and ponytail. It's a girl thing. And… Fred." Kylie paused. "First, it was a crush. And then I found out he liked me, too. But I was too young. And by the time the age difference wasn't a big deal, it was too late. We were together a few months and he left school." Kylie chuckled at a memory. "He told me that he didn't care if I dated anyone while I was still in school, that he'd be there waiting for me when I finished. But shit happened. He never did it to spite you. Literally everyone knew you liked Hermione before you did, so at that point didn't think you'd care, honestly."

"Well, I did." Ron shrugged.

"You can stop caring about it now. He's gone. He's gone and we're all angry about it. Because I lost him, too. I loved him. But he wouldn't want you hating me anymore."

Ron didn't have a chance to respond because Ginny walked through the doorway. She liked between the pair with a raised eyebrow. "The two of you by yourselves. Should I worry? Is one if you dead already? Am I too late?"

"We're fine, Gin. You people just like to corner me in empty rooms, apparently." Kylie turned to Ron. "We're good?"

Ron shoved his hands in his pockets and nodded sheepishly. "Yeah, we're good."

Ron walked out of the room at a brisk pace and Kylie and Ginny couldn't help but giggle a little as he exited the room. "Still mad?" Ginny asked.

Kylie shrugged. "I dunno. I think he's got a better understanding though. About Fred and I."

Ginny groaned. "Finally. Maybe he'll shut the fuck up about it now."

"Gin, be honest with me here. Would I be crazy to wait and see if Drake stands up to his mum? I think I've forgotten what is like to actually be invested in a relationship. If Fred was still here, I wouldn't even be in this position right now. I was set. Loads of meaningless relationships until I finished school with my perfect guy waiting on me when I finished. It was so close, you know? If all of that shit hadn't happened… I wouldn't even be worrying about this right now."

"But shit did happen. And you're moving on. You had a good year and a half with Fred. Cherish it, whatever, but move on." Ginny shrugged, crossing her arms. "You've never been one to be overly sentimental."

"Am I allowed to miss my dead ex-boyfriend or not?!" Kylie snapped. Her eyes widened at the words that came out of her own mouth.

"That's the first time you've said it. The first time you've said anything other than 'he's not here'."

"It's called moving on. Which I'm trying to do. And I'm being cockblocked by Narcissa fucking Malfoy." Kylie groaned. "I hate her. She's never going to let him be with me. I'm the complete opposite of them."

"Cockblocked. That's an interesting choice of word. Unless…." Ginny's mouth fell open. "You slept with him?!" She said in a harsh whisper.

"Shut up! And yes!" Kylie whispered back. "Like six times yesterday. Three before dinner and three before we fell asleep. And yes, it was good. And no, I don't wish we hadn't. And yes, I feel terrible for every woman that misses out on sleeping with him."

"Stop having sex at my mother's house!" Ginny laughed.

"What about your mother's house?" Harry asked, walking into the kitchen.

"Oh, nothing." Kylie tried to contain get laugher. "Your girlfriend is just being a hypocrite."

Harry raised an eyebrow, but didn't question the two girls in front of him. Both were still trying not to laugh too loudly. "Ky, Malfoy'll come around."

Harry's statement made Kylie remember what she had said about Fred. "Harry. You don't happen to know where George is, do you?"

"Out in the garden, I think."

"Thanks. I need to talk to him." Kylie left the kitchen abs walked outside, pulling the sleeves of her sweater around her hands.

George's flaming red hair looked harsh against the snow that had fallen during the night. He was sitting on a bench, just behind the pumpkin patch. He didn't seem to notice Kylie until she spoke.

"Georgie." Kylie gave a half-smile and George stood up to greet her. "Hey, stranger." She said, wrapping her arms around him. George buried his head in the crook of Kylie's neck as he hugged her tightly.

"How are you?" George asked add they broke apart.

"A bit offended, actually. You haven't said one word to me since I've been here."

George attempted a small smile. "Haven't spoken to anyone, really."

"Well, I was going to ask how you were but that pretty much covers it." Kylie gave a sympathetic look. "I miss him, too. And you."

"So, Malfoy, eh? What's that about?" George asked, trying to change the subject. He sat back down and nodded to the empty space next to him.

Kylie joined him and laid her head on his shoulder. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about. It hit me about five minutes ago that this is it. I have to move on, for real. There's no one waiting on me now."

"He was making the days down on a calendar, you know. Waiting until the last day of school. He was going to surprise you by having gone round your mum's and packing all your things and putting them in our flat. He was going to meet you at the platform." George's eyes welled up a little. "This is the most I've talked about him."

"Well, that's not going to happen anymore. And I need to move on. I'd like to move on with Draco. But… I guess what I'm asking is… do you think Freddie would think I'm absolutely bonkers or do you think he'd be okay with it?"

"Would he be okay with you and Malfoy?" George looked off into the distance for a good while before answering. "Malfoy…. Malfoy's good…"

"You think?" Kylie wrapped her arms around George's arm.

"He's not the same. You can see it in his eyes."

"None of us are the same."

George let out a dry chuckle. "You got that right." He kissed Kylie on the top of her head. "Fred would be happy that you're happy. And he'd know that more than one person would kill Malfoy if he hurt you. You're still family. Even if it won't be official. And just for reference, he thought you were absolutely bonkers anyways."

"We were both unconventional, to say the least." Kylie grinned. "Think you might want some company tonight? You get your room back."

George nodded. "Company would be good. Got a bottle of firewhiskey hidden. I'll break it out."

"Can we just sit here for a while? It's a little crazy inside."

"Why do you think I was out here to begin with?"

Kylie nodded in understanding and cuddled closer to George for warmth. He wreaked his arm around her and they both looked up at the sky as small snowflakes began to fall. Kylie grinned widely. "Thank you, Freddie." She whispered up at the sky.

"Yeah, thanks, Freddie." And for the first time in months, George gave a genuine smile in remembrance of his brother.

Xxxxx

 **A/N: I didn't mean to go in this direction … but I did it … and I made myself sad.**


	13. Chapter 13

**I Knew You Weren't**

 **Chapter Thirteen**

The rest of Christmas holiday went over fairly smoothly, although no one knew what brought on Kylie's foul mood the last week and a half. Or why she was spending so much time hiding out in George's room.

She shared a carriage in the train with the usual people, Ginny, Neville, and Luna, slightly hungover but in decent spirits nonetheless. Until Draco came to the door of the compartment, anyways. A darkness came over her face, causing her companions to trade confused looks.

"Meeting in 20." Draco said, only at Kylie.

"I'll be there when I get there." Kylie snapped.

Draco looked a bit taken a back. "Thought I could walk you."

"I won't get lost. It's a straight shot down."

Draco groaned. "Oh, for fuck's sake, woman. We need to talk. Come on."

Kylie rolled her eyes as she stood up. "I'll be back after the meeting." She walked out into the hallway and shut the compartment door behind herself. "What?"

Draco grabbed her arm and pulled her down the hall until he reached an empty compartment and he pulled her in. He shut the door behind them and pulled the curtains closed. He stood, arms crossed, in front of the door so Kylie couldn't try to leave. "Did I do something wrong?"

"Do you really want to go there? Because we can."

"Just tell me! I left and, you know, I didn't hear from you at all. Nothing. No letters."

"Oh, on the contrary, I wrote you. Five letters to be exact. Four of them went unanswered. The fifth one wasn't so lucky, though."

Draco furrowed his brow. "I never got any."

"I know. Your mother got them. And she decided to answer my last one. And I quote 'for your sake, leave Draco alone. You are a distraction from his duties to his family, House, and school.' Um, let's see… oh! 'He is to marry Astoria. He has been aware of this for quite some time. He doesn't care about you.' And the best part for last, 'Even if he does not marry her, there is no room for someone like you in our family.' So, you can see why I gave up."

"Ky…"

"No. I can't do this right now. We have a meeting to head up." Kylie stepped towards Draco and he grabbed her hand.

"I have to marry her." He said solemnly.

"Right."

"I have a trust fund."

Kylie opened her mouth to speak but Draco shook his head.

"In my father's will, it says that if I don't stay married to her for at least a year and produce an heir in that time, I don't get my money."

"I said I can't do this right now." Kylie's stomach was in knots.

"Give it a year and I'll leave her."

"But not before knocking her up. Otherwise, it isn't worth it." She looked at the floor.

"Right, yeah. I guess so." Draco's shoulders dropped.

"You can't leave the mother of your child, Drake. Now let me go. We have a meeting."

* * *

The conversation taking place in front of the fireplace ceased to a halt as the three boys noticed Kylie come out of her room and down the stairs. Which didn't go unnoticed by her.

"Talking about me, yeah?" Kylie asked, descending the stairs and turning to the kitchen as Draco, Blaise, and Theo all turned red. "Would have been less obvious of you had just lowered your volume instead of shutting up altogether."

Kylie reached for a mug and the tea kettle. "You know. You'd think, we're fucking magic… they'd come up with an easier way to make a cup of tea." Kylie changed her mind, opening a cabinet and pulling out a bottle of scotch. She poured the 'proper' amount into the cup and chuckled before filling it as full as it would go. "This bottle… is older than my mother. 45 year old scotch and I'm drinking it like an alcoholic."

The boys watched tentatively as Kylie excited the kitchen and sat across from the three boys.

"So, what's the hot gossip? Obviously, it's about me. What part is he at? Did he tell you he stayed in a, gasp, muggle neighborhood for the first part of the week? And then, double gasp, at the Weasley's?" Kylie nodded. "Must have already told you that part. You don't seem shocked. So… let's see then. Did he tell you we had sex?" She noted the subtle movements on Theo and Blaise's faces and the fact that Draco's eyes fell to the floor. "Ahh. I'm caught up, then. Yeah, we did. Three times, in fact, after we broke up so he could go home and have his mummy tell him he has to marry Astoria."

Theo and Blaise traded shocked looks before glancing at Draco, who was still looking at the floor.

"He didn't tell you that. Well, which one of you gets to break the news to poor Pansy? I know she was hoping it'd be her."

"You need to stop." Draco spoke his first words since Kylie came downstairs.

"Oh, I'm finished." She took a long drink of scotch and grimaced a little. "Good night, boys."

As Kylie ascended the stairs, she heard a deep grumble come from the couch.

"Get. Out." When no one moved, the grumble turned into a growl. "NOW."

Kylie gave a small chuckle as she heard Blaise and Theo scramble to get up and out of the portrait hole. She quickly made her way to the top of the stairs and into her bedroom, closing the door without looking behind her. She turned around, though, when the door didn't latch. Draco stood in the doorway, hand on the door holding it open.

"You shouldn't have done that." Draco growled, lowering his hand from the door.

"What? Told your friends that you're a giant twat? They should already know that." Kylie crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

"If you had been in the conversation, you would know what I was telling them. But you weren't, because it's none of your business." Draco clenched his fists.

"And how is it none of my business? It involves me!"

Draco slammed his fist down on Kylie's desk. "You don't understand!"

"Then explain it to me!"

Draco stepped forward and grabbed Kylie by the arm. "I was asking them what to do!"

Kylie snatched her arm away. "You were what?"

"I was asking them what I should do. I don't want to marry her."

Kylie scrunched her face up and took a deep breath. She pulled her hand back and slapped Draco across the face. Draco tried to grabbed her by the arm again, but she was too quick. In one swift movement, Kylie spun Draco around and pinned him to the wall with her forearm pressed against his throat. "Don't fuck with me."

Draco growled and before Kylie knew it, she was the one pinned to the wall, though Draco pinned her arms above her head. "Believe me. I don't want to fuck with you." Draco growled. "What I do want, though," Kylie swallowed thickly and her heart jumped to her throat in anticipation of what he would say next. "What I do want," he said in a half-growl, half-whisper, "is to fuck you. Whenever and wherever I want. For the rest of our lives."

Draco let go of Kylie's arms and grabbed her head, pressing himself to her and capturing her lips with his. Kylie tangled her fingers in his hair and gasped when he bit her bottom lip.

Kylie untangled her fingers from Draco's hair and began unbuttoning his shirt. She undid each button as fast as she could, all while trying to concentrate on the movement of Draco's mouth moving with hers. She shoved the shirt off of his shoulders as soon as she reached the last button.

Draco slid his hands down Kylie's neck all the way down her torso, until he reached her butt. He cupped his hands around where her ass met her thighs, and lifted her up, wrapping her legs around his waist. Draco turned around and sat her on her desk, sliding his hands up under her skirt after he sat her down.

"Drake…" Kylie whispered harshly as Draco simultaneously began kissing her neck and pulling her panties down her legs. "We can't…"

"We're adults." Draco said gruffly. "We can do whatever the hell we want."

Kylie bit her lip and reached down to unbutton Draco's trousers. She swiftly unzipped them and he removed his hands from Kylie's thighs to shove his pants and boxers down and kick them off.

Draco pressed a soft kiss too Kylie's lips. He unbuttoned her shirt with swift fingers and let her take it off before he reached around and unclasped her bra in one quick motion. Draco slid the straps off of her shoulders and watched as the lace barrier fell to the floor.

"No turning back." Draco raised an eyebrow, placing his hands back onto Kylie's thighs.

"Stop putting it off then." Kylie said, her voice a bit rough. She slid forward to the edge of the desk, opening her legs more as Draco pressed his forehead to hers, gripping her thighs and entering her in one movement.

Kylie gasped and dug her nails into Draco's back. Draco moaned and muttered "oh, fuck…" He paused for a moment, his breaths coming hard and fast.

"Don't quit on me now." Kylie purred in his ear.

"Trust me. I'm not." Draco gave a small chuckle. "Just…taking it all in."

Kylie placed her finger under Draco's chin and lifted his head. She pressed her lips to his and tangled her free hand in his hair. Her other hand traveled downwards and she dug her nails into his arsecheek. Draco groaned and encased himself fully inside of her.

He pulled out slowly, leaving only an inch inside and thrusts back into her hard. Kylie moaned into Draco's mouth and tugged his hair a little as the desk slammed into the wall.

Draco gripped the edge of the desk as he thrusts again and again, getting faster with each one. Kylie had her arms wrapped around his torso, her face buried in his neck, and one hand in his hair. She tried to muffle the sounds escaping her, but couldn't. Every thrust of Draco's was met with a loud moan from Kylie and a smack to the wall from the desk.

Draco growled, getting annoyed by the second sound. "Fuck this." He picked Kylie up, still inside of her, and moved over to the bed. He sat her on the edge and she scooted backward to have more room to lay down. Draco took his place on top of her and entered her again, propping himself up on his elbows.

He brushed Kylie's hair out of her face and bent down to kiss her as he began moving his hips expertly.

"Drake…oh, merlin…" Kylie breathed. She lifted her hips as Draco trusted in, meeting him movement for movement. "Kiss me. I'm gonna…"

Draco cut her off with a kiss, knowing the end of her sentence. As their lips moved in unison, he felt the walls encasing him tighten and he moaned loudly into her mouth. Kylie was song everything she could to keep kissing him instead of moaning as loudly as she could. Draco held out as long add he could, but feeling Kyle spasming around him send him over the edge. He raised up into his knees and grabbed onto Kylie's legs.

"Fuck! Oh, fuck..." Draco exclaimed as he thrusted out his orgasm, clinging tightly to her thighs. He fell forward, catching himself on his elbows, face to face with Kylie. He let out a deep breath and kissed her once again.

"This is definitely not where I saw that fight going, to be completely honest." She chuckled as Draco rolled off of her. He laid on his stomach and tucked his arms under his head.

"That bad, yeah?" Draco winked.

"Not bad at all. Just unexpected."

Kylie made her way under the blankets and Draco joined her. "I'm trying." He said as she laid her head on his chest.

"Don't ruin the moment, Drake."

Draco pulled out from underneath Kylie and sat up. "We don't have to talk, then." A sly grin erupted on his face.

"What did you have in mind?"

Draco maneuvered himself on top of Kylie, still grinning. "Mm, something we haven't before."

Kylie raised an eyebrow as Draco pushed himself down under the blanket. He pushed her knees up, resulting in an "Oh!" from Kylie as he positioned his face in between her legs.

Draco expertly worked his tongue around causing Kylie to squirm and grasp at the bedsheets, making noises Draco hadn't heard come from her before. He only stopped to throw the blankets off of them so he could sneak glances up at Kylie.

Kylie moaned loudly, pulling at the sheets. "Merlin, why haven't we done this before? You…oh, god…"

Draco barely concealed his chuckle. He licked, sucked, and nibbled until he felt Kylie's thigh muscles tighten once more and she moaned loudly as a second orgasm ripped through her.

Draco ascended until he was eye-level with Kylie once more, his hands on each side of her head holding him up.

"So, is this how we're going to do it? All sex, no talking?" Kylie asked when she got her breath back. "Not that I'm complaining. But not a great basis for a relationship."

Draco reached up and brushed Kylie's bangs out of her face. "We will get our relationship." He rolled off of Kylie abs laid down next to her, pulling her close.

Kylie placed her head on Draco's chest and reached over, caressing the scarred Dark Mark on his arm. "It's almost gone."

Draco chuckled. "Should have listened to you, eh?"

"Always. You should always listen to me." Kylie winked before kissing Draco on the cheek. "Go to sleep. It's late."

Draco kissed Kylie on the forehead. "Goodnight."

"Yeah. 'Night." Kylie draped her arm across Draco's torso and soon they were both off to sleep.

XXXXX


	14. Chapter 14

**I Knew You Weren't**

 **Chapter Fourteen**

Draco awoke to an empty bed. The thought worried him for a second, thinking maybe Kylie had regretted the night before. Maybe she's in the kitchen, he thought. He grabbed his pajama pants and slid them on as he made his way to the bedroom door.

But he heard no sounds coming from downstairs as he opened the door. Making his way to the kitchen, it was clear he was alone. He began to feel discouraged before two piles of books and a note on the table caught his eye.

 _For you._

 _Happy late Christmas._

 _-K xx_

The Hobbit, 3 books titled The Lord of the Rings, and one titled The Silmarillion made up one pile, while the other contained Alice in Wonderland, Through The Looking Glass (or What Alice Saw There), and The Wizard of Oz.

A small smile formed on Draco face. Muggle books. Of course his Christmas present would be Muggle books.

Draco picked up The Hobbit and grabbed a danish off of the counter and went to make himself comfortable in front of the fireplace.

* * *

Meanwhile, Kylie made her way into the library and found the table her friends were sitting at.

She slung her bag over the back of her chair and groaned as she plopped down loudly into the seat (eliciting a glare from Hermione).

"You were supposed to be here an hour ago." Ginny stage-whispered.

"I'm having a bit of an existential crisis, so sorry I'm late." Kylie whispered back. "Why are we studying, anyways? It's Saturday and we haven't even had classes yet."

"NEWTs this year, remember? Why are you having a crisis?"

"D-"

"Don't you dare say Draco."

Kylie shrugged. "Then I can't tell you."

"Oh, Merlin, Ky. What now?"

Kylie noticed Neville and Luna giving them sideways glances, wanting to be in on the secret, but not wanting to say anything.

"Weeeellllll… I may or may not have messed up."

"You didn't. Kylie. Tell me you didn't."

"Maybe."

"Did what?" Neville finally interjected, putting his book down.

"She slept with him. AGAIN." Ginny groaned.

"Oh." Neville's face flushed. "Carry on, then." He fumbled with his book, trying to find where he had left off.

"No. I need input. Male and female. What do I do? I'm completely lost. I like him, like… a lot. But all this shit with his mum. I don't know what he wants."

"I think you're an idiot. But you know that." Ginny said, matter-of-factly.

"Then, I don't want your opinion. Neville?"

"Well. Uh. You know. I mean, Slytherin's, they, uh, they know what they want and they get it. If he wants you, he'll get you. If not, there's, uh, plenty of fish in the sea, as the saying goes. You should be with someone that, you know, sees your worth and doesn't care what others want."

"Thank you, Neville." Kylie winked. "Luna?" Kylie turned to Luna, ignoring Hermione clearing her throat in the background.

"I think it's romantic. He wants to defy the odds and his family, but doesn't know how. I think he loves you. He'll come around."

Hermione cleared her throat again.

"I'm sorry. Did you have something to say?" Kylie raised an eyebrow. She knew Hermione wasn't her greatest fan and couldn't wait to hear what she had to say.

"I think you're an idiot, as well. It's Malfoy. He's never going to change. He's going to do what benefits him and a relationship with someone like you doesn't benefit him."

"And what exactly is _someone like me_?"

Hermione sighed, slightly annoyed. "Oh, you know what I meant. You're different."

"Care to elaborate? You think people can't change? Is that why you're so angry? Maybe a certain boyfriend of yours isn't changing?"

Hermione opened her mouth but Ginny interjected.

"That's enough!" She said in a harsh whisper. "Both of you! Look, Ky. We are your friends. Most of us… and we don't want to see you get hurt. That's all." She glanced sideways at Neville. "There are much better choices for you. I'd even rather see you with my own brother…"

"The dead one? Thanks." Kylie rolled her eyes.

"No, actually. Charlie, if you must know."

Kylie laughed. "Ha! Charlie doesn't feel that way about me. Or any female."

"That's what you think." Ginny said under her breath.

"What?"

"Nothing. My point is, there are others should you decide to…take a swim."

"None of you are any help, whatsoever." Kylie picked her bag up and slung it over her shoulder.

"Because we aren't telling you what you want to hear? Typical." Ginny shook her head. "Do what you want. I'll be here to pick up the pieces."

Kylie stood up and gave a fake smile. "I have to go. Prefect meeting in an hour. Big surprises for everyone."

"Does it have to do with the letter you got from McGonagall over holiday?" Neville asked.

"You'll find out." She winked and walked out of the library.

* * *

Kylie walked through the portrait hole into her dorm to see Draco sitting in front of the fireplace, a glass of her scotch in one hand and a book in the other.

"Being productive, are we?" She asked, sitting her bag down in an armchair.

Draco held up The Hobbit. "Are you sure this guy is a Muggle?"

"Am I sure that JRR Tolkien is a Muggle? Ninety-nine percent sure. Why?"

"Maybe he's a squib. He speaks of wizards and elves and dragons, but not real wizards and elves."

Kylie took a seat next to Draco on the couch and he reached over and pulled her closer to him. "It's called imagination, Drake. Growing up, we know nothing of this world, obviously. But we dream of fairy tales and magic and mythical creatures. I need to get you a copy of Grimm's Fairy Tales. In one of them, there's a fairy godmother. She uses magic to turn a pumpkin into a carriage…and animals into footmen…and changes a girl so she can meet a prince… it's incredible." Kylie had a dreamy look in her eyes. "And at the end, the girl's evil stepsisters cut off their toes and heels to try and fit in a glass slipper. And they get their eyes pecked out by ravens."

"Well, that's morbid." Draco took a small sip of scotch. "And fairies can't do that kind of magic."

Kylie chose to ignore the fairy comment. "It's morbid? You have a bedtime story about Death. And don't get me started on both versions of the Wizard and the Hopping Pot. Anti-muggle propaganda…yes, that's what helps me get to sleep at night."

Draco just laughed. "Looks like I have a lot to learn, then."

"A little more than a lot." Kylie winked.

Draco just shook his head and wrapped his arm rightly around Kylie, and in one swift movement, pulled her onto his lap. "You'll have to teach me."

"You planning on spending some time in my world, then?"

"I have a plan."

Draco leaned in to kiss her, but she dodged it.

"You have a plan. And what, pray tell, is this plan?"

"You will find out in due time. But it's a good one. I promise. I get what I want."

Kylie tried to stand up, but Draco pulled her back down.

"Not good enough."

"It involves you. And me. And getting what I want. Which is you. Can that be good enough for now?"

"It can be. But only for a bit. I'll need more than that soon." Draco grinned. "Until then… we just keep this between us."

Kylie poked out her bottom lip. "Drake."

"More fun that way, anyways. A secret between us. Stolen kisses in dark corridors…." Draco gave Kylie a small peck on the lips. "Maybe I pull you into a broom closet and ravage you…"

"Don't make promises you don't intend to keep." Kylie maneuvered herself to where she was straddling Draco's lap and he rested his hands on her waist.

"I'll take you right here. Don't tempt me." Draco gave an almost unnoticeable wink.

Kylie leaned forwards and pressed her lips to Draco's, wrapping her arms around his neck. "We have a meeting to get to."

"They can wait on us." Draco stood up, holding Kylie up and walked her over to the table. He sat her down and kissed her, snaking his hands up her skirt as her fingers tangled in his hair.

His fingers laced around the band of her panties and he pulled them down. Just as they reached her ankles, someone knocked on the portrait.

Draco groaned into Kylie's mouth. He pulled away with a grin plastered on his face. He pulled her panties the rest of the way off and shoved them into his pocket before sauntering over to the portrait.

"Draco!" Kylie exclaimed, jumping off of the table and pulling her skirt down.

"Shush!" he said, pushing over the portrait.

Blaise walked in and looked between the two. Between Draco's shit-eating grin and Kylie's red cheeks, he knew he had interrupted something.

"Getting ready for the meeting?" He asked, eyes twinkling with laughter.

"Shut up." Kylie mumbled. "I have to go change."

On her way up the stairs, she heard Blaise tell Draco, "I have an idea. I think I know how to work this out."

"Thank Merlin." Draco replied. "I was running out of ideas. I can't fuck this up any more."

"I know, man." Kylie heard Blaise clap Draco on the shoulder. "You'll get her."

She couldn't help but smile as she shut her bedroom door.

XXXX


	15. Chapter 15

**I Knew You Weren't**

 **Chapter Fifteen**

Kylie walked down the hallway headed to her next class, when she was cornered by Neville.

" Is it true?" He asked. "Are we really having a ball?"

"It's not really a ball, per sa- Wait. How do you know about it?!" Kylie furrowed her brow. Stupid, baby Prefects and their big mouths.

"The whole school is talking about it. Are we not supposed to know?" Then, something clicked in his head. "Thesis what the meeting last night was about and it was supposed to be a secret, so, of course-"

"Of course, the whole school knows." Kylie rolled her eyes. "Minnie is gonna be pissed."

"We'll just pretend I didn't ask, then." Neville shrugged, looking a bit defeated.

Kylie sighed. "It's not really a ball. More of a…gala, I guess. A remembrance dinner… On the anniversary. Food, live music, speeches… Harry is supposed to speak. I'm trying to get Celestina Warbeck for entertainment. Molly will love that. It's to celebrate the ones that made it… and remember the ones that didn't… everyone that fought will be here."

"So, do we, you know, have to bring a date? I mean, I'm just wondering… I had a hard enough time asking Ginny to the Yule Ball, and I suppose she only said yes because Hermione turned me down... So, I was just, um, curious." Neville sheepishly shoved his hands in the pockets of his robe.

"It's not mandatory. I mean, I went stag to the Yule Ball and wound up hooking up with Fred in a broom closet, so, you never know what could happen." Kylie laughed. "If you're worried about who to ask, any girl would be lucky to be your date. Besides, you're a hero now. I'm sure any girl you ask will say yes. Just…hold off on asking until McGonagall makes her official announcement."

"Right. Okay. Thanks."

"I gotta get to class, Nev. I'll see you later." Kylie gave a small smile.

As she walked away, she could have sworn she heard Neville mumble " I don't want to ask just any girl."

* * *

Kylie returned to a silent dorm. Looking for anything out of place, she noticed a note sitting on the table.

 _K,_

 _Blaise and I are gone for the weekend._

 _No worries. All is well. Just taking care of some business._

 _Have a good day at Hogsmeade tomorrow._

 _xx D_

Kylie grinned stupidly down at the note, but was distracted by a knock at the portrait hole. The hole opened and a certain blonde walked through into the room.

"You should really change the password. Anyone that knows it could just walk in." was said with a grin as Kylie stood there speechless.

"What are you doing here, 'Zona?" Kylie asked, setting down her note.

"I heard a rumor. Thought I'd come see if it was true." Arizona sat her bag down in an armchair. "Heard there's going to be a dance."

"Not a dance. A remembrance gala. If you've heard about it, it really must be all over the school." Kylie crossed her arms and leaned against the table. "Is that all?"

"Well, I was going to see if you needed a date." Arizona smiled.

"We…we broke up."

"Yeah, I know. I was there. I'm the one that did it." Arizona raised an eyebrow. "I'm trying to apologize. I was jealous and I shouldn't have been. I…I was an idiot and I would like you to forgive me."

"I forgave you the second you walked away, because I realized that I needed some time to myself. I needed to figure things out." Kylie jumped up and sat on the tabletop.

"Okay, then. Now that that's settled, will you be my date?" Arizona began to reach out for Kylie's hand, but Kylie pulled away.

"I can't. I have to go with Draco." Not a total lie.

"Riiiiiight. Why would you want to do that? He'll be a terrible date."

"Because he's kind of the other Head. It'll show good sportsmanship. If you haven't noticed, the theme of the year is unity and friendship."

"Blah blah. It's Malfoy. Come on. You really think he wants to be your date? I'm sure he'd rather go with Pug-face." Arizona rolled her eyes in frustration. "Don't think I didn't hear the two of you spent the holidays together. I was trying to ignore it."

"You need to go." Kylie came down off the table and crossed her arms. "Now."

"I was hoping you got him out of your system over Christmas, but I guess not. Why? What makes him so much better than me? He can't understand you better than I do."

"Actually he does. Because you don't understand me at all." Kylie spat.

"Oh, great. Again with the mood swings. You need to get those under control?" Arizona rubbed her temples. "Merlin, this is not going the way I thought it would."

"Excuse me. My 'mood swings' are not something I can just turn off. That's not how my brain works."

Arizona scoffed. "Are you gonna explain it to me again, like I'm an idiot? 'My brain is different, blah blah blah.' No one's brain is different. You're magical, we're all the same."

"Don't you know what it's like to wake up one morning and just know that if you get out of bed, you won't be alive by the time the sun sets?"

"No. And neither do you."

"Actually, I do. I didn't tell you by choice, but I didn't have to tell him. Do you remember about 3 weeks after we found Draco in the bathroom? I missed 3 days of classes. You didn't notice when I didn't meet you that morning, but he noticed when I wasn't up before he was. He came in to get me and he knew something was wrong. So, he owled McGonagall and he sat next to my bed all day. He didn't speak or anything. Just read the paper and a book. He slept by my bed that night. The next day, he had a house elf bring us breakfast to my room and he sat with me, reading the Prophet out loud for the three hours it took me to eat. He read me passage from a book. We did some homework… For 48 hours, he only left my room to go to the bathroom. And the third day, he got me out of bed, got me showered and dressed, and got me out of my room." Kylie took a deep breath. "You, on the other hand, were annoyed that I had 'abandoned you' for three days. Even though you never bothered to check on me."

Arizona pursed her lips. "So, that's a no to the date. Or anything else."

"It's more than just a no. It's a 'get out of my fucking dorm'."

Arizona spun on her heel, grabbed her bag, and stormed out of the portrait hole, almost smashing into Ginny on her way out.

Ginny looked behind her as the portrait swung shut. "What was she doing here?"

Kylie shrugged. "Making an arse of herself. What's up?"

Ginny made her way to the kitchen and began to raid the cabinets. "Why didn't you tell me there was going to be a dance?"

"Oh, for the love of Merlin, it's not a dance!"

Ginny put her hands up in mock surrender, trying to not drop her snacks. "Sorry. I won't call it a dance again."

"You're the third non-Prefect to mention it. They weren't supposed to say anything." Kylie held get hand up as Ginny tossed her a bag of crisps. "They're ask going to be locked in the dungeons until they admit who told."

"Lock them in the Chamber. The big basilisk skeleton might be a good motivator." Ginny suggested, mouth half full, as she plopped down on the couch. Kylie sat down next to her and paved get had on Ginny's shoulder. "Something on your mind? Queen Bitch, maybe?"

"Nah. Uh, do you want to grab Neville and Luna for a sleepover? Drake is gone for the weekend."

"They're in the library. We can go get them in a bit. We haven't had much time together lately." Ginny laid her head on Kylie's.

Kylie poked out her bottom lip. "I'm sorry. It's my fault."

"I'm to blame, too. I've let my emotions run wild since holiday. I love you, you're my best friend, and whatever you choose to do with your life, I'll support you always."

"Thank you." Kylie grinned. "Tonight can just be us. We'll invite the others tomorrow. Tonight, I'm getting drunk with my best friend."

Ginny laughed. "That…sounds perfect."

XXXXX


	16. Chapter 16

**I Knew You Weren't**

 **Chapter Sixteen**

Draco bounded through the portrait hole, making Kylie jump. She stared wide-eyed as Draco came towards her quickly. He reached her in record time and pulled her up from her spot on the couch. Draco wrapped his arms around Kylie's waist and lifted her into the air, spinning her around, a giant grin plastered on his face.

"I did it." He said, his arms still wrapped around her waist and her feet not touching the floor.

"Congratulations?" Kylie said, looking confused.

"Kylie. I. DID. IT." Draco enunciated. He raised an eyebrow and waited for her to catch on.

Kylie furrowed her brow while she processed what Draco said. Draco's grin grew as Kylie's eyes widened and his words sunk in. "You did... it? Like, it it? You.. talked to... your mum?"

"Yes. That's where Blaise and I were. He convinced me that I just needed to... how did he put it? 'Nut up' and tell my mother that I wasn't going to be my fathers pawn anymore. So, I got permission for us to leave. I couldn't just go along with something I didn't believe in anymore."

"Drake. I don't know what to say." Kylie grinned.

Draco grinned too, as he adjusted Kylie, wrapping her legs around his waist. "The only thing I want to hear from you is a yes."

Kylie gave a sly look. "Depends on the question."

"Be my girlfriend. Officially."

"I didn't hear a question in there."

Draco groaned. "Will you be my girlfriend, you stubborn arse?"

"Of course I will." Kylie couldn't contain her smile as she pressed her lips to his.

Draco took it one step further by maneuvering around and laying Kylie on the couch, placing himself between her legs, making sure to not break the kiss. His hand traveled up Kylie's thigh and into her skirt.

A small moan escaped Kyle's throat as Draco drug his teeth across her bottom lip.

Draco sat back on his knees and reached forward, pulling Kylie's panties down her legs and tossing them off to the side. He quickly undid his belt and threw it aside, as well. Kylie propped herself up on her elbow and used her other hand to undo the button and zipper on Draco's trousers. He got off the couch, only to remove his trousers and boxers, and climbed back on top of Kylie.

Draco pressed himself against Kylie whole he reached forward and ripped open her shirt, causing buttons to go flying. Kylie let out a short laugh, but pulled Draco back down to her, kissing him again. In one swift motion, as Draco crashed his lips into hers, he entered her, causing her to gasp into the kiss. The small noise sent shivers down his back causing him to press into her as deeply as he could.

"Oh, fuck." Draco muttered, as Kylie rocked her his back and forth meeting him thrust for thrust.

A sharp knock came from the portrait hole that shook them both from their pleasure.

"McG?" Kylie asked, breathlessly.

Draco groaned. No one else knocked on their portrait like that. "Fuck." He grabbed his wand and wordlessly fixed the two of them so they looked presentable. They both quickly pulled their clothes on and Draco barely finished buttoning is slacks before he opened the portrait and McGonagall stepped in.

"We're having an emergency Prefect meeting. Apparently we have a blabbermouth in our midst." She said, looking around the room.

"Oh, you heard about that, yeah?" Kylie asked as she pulled her hair into a sleek ponytail.

"Don't get smart with me, Miss Meadows. We're meeting in twenty." McGonagall replied, before making her way back out of the portrait hole and shutting it behind her.

"Well, that puts a damper on things." Draco said, tugging at the front of his trousers.

"Whatevs. I get to be scary to the underclassmen, so I'm good." Kylie laughed.

"Yeah, well, I hope I'm 'good' by the time we get there." Draco rolled his eyes.

"I'll reward you later." Kylie winked. "Come on, let's go."

* * *

Kylie and Draco made it into the meeting room in the to see the last of the Prefects trickle in. Kylie shot McGonagall a look that said 'please let me get onto them' and McGonagall just nodded and waved her up to the podium.

Kylie took her place at the podium and Draco took a seat next to her, while McGonagall opted to sit off to the side of the room.

Kylie gave one of her terrifyingly sweet smiles. "So, I hear we have a big-mouth amongst us. And we aren't happy. In case you didn't know. We have rules here. The first rule of Prefect meetings… is you don't talk about Prefect meetings. And the second rule of Prefect meetings… is you don't talk about Prefect meetings. We are here to keep order and be role models. How can you be role models if you just blab about everything that goes on here? You can't. It's bullshit. Do we need to preface every meeting with 'keep your damn traps shut'?"

"Miss Meadows!" McGonagall stood up from her seat.

"Minnie! I've got this!" Kylie held her hand up to stop McGonagall.

McGonagall was so shocked that she promptly sat back down.

"Anyways, someone will own up to opening their mouth… or I can make you talk. I've been practicing."

"And that is enough from you. Thank you!" McGonagall sighed, making her way to the podium and ushering Kylie away to a seat behind her.

At the end of the meeting, McGonagall sat down in the seat between Kylie and Draco with a flourish. "I'm glad the two of you have made up. When neither of you are happy, no one else can be either."

"I could say the same about you. You know, if I was you, I would gave hexed them until one of them talked. I had actually planned on it, but I was pretty sure you were going to do it. I think you're getting soft in your old age, McG."

"Isn't that, as you said the other day, 'what I have you for'?"

"You're damn right, it's what you have me for. I'm the brawn. You and Blondie are the brains."

McGonagall raised an eyebrow at Kylie. "And I would greatly appreciate it if you would refrain from calling me Minnie in front of the other students."

"Does that mean I can call you Minnie not front of the other students?"

"Negative, Miss Meadows." McGonagall stood up. "I'm off to bed. I suggest the two of you head that way, too."

"What about McG?" Kylie was too distracted to see McGonagall walk across the room. "McGee?... McGoogles! What about McGoogles?"

"You are worse than all four of the bloody Marauder's combined, Miss Meadows." McGonagall said from the doorway.

"I take that as a compliment, Minnie!" Kylie shouted as McGonagall walked out of the door.

"I must have said it wrong!" McGonagall replied from the hallway.

Draco chuckled as Kylie slumped back in her seat. "Think she knows?"

"What? About us? Of course she does. She knows everything about everyone." Kylie grinned. "I think she likes it."

"What in Merlin's name is 'we don't talk about prefect meetings'?" Draco asked, changing the subject.

"From a book I read." Kylie shrugged. "Changed a couple words. It's better than all of them with flying bogeys attacking the faces, innit?"

"No, bogeys would have been a good addition." Draco reached out and took Kylie by the hand. "What's the matter?"

Kylie shook her head and laced her fingers with his. "Nothing. Why do you ask?"

"Because you're making your 'I'm overthinking' face."

"I am not!" Kylie protested. "Can we talk about it…not here?"

Draco stood up and stretched out hand to Kylie. She took it with a small smile and together they left the room. The walk to the dorm was a quiet one, just the two of them walking hand in hand. Draco uttered the password at their portrait hole and led Kylie in and straight up the stairs to her room. Wordlessly, he let go of her hand and slipped off his robe before reaching out and taking hers off, as well, and discarded both pieces of material onto the floor.

"Drake-"

Draco shook his head. Slowly, he reached forward and began to unbutton Kylie's shirt. Without saying anything, he undressed her until she was standing there in nothing but her undergarments, socks, and shoes.

Draco led Kylie to her bed, nodding his head towards it. She sat down obediently and Draco got down on his knees to remove her shoes, leaving her knee-highs on. He went to her bag and pulled out her sleeping pills, taking one from the bottle. He sat it next to her glass on the nightstand, before he began to undress himself.

Kylie watched in awe as his nimble fingers undid the buttons on his shirt. He kicked off his shoes and made quick work of his trousers, revealing a partial boner under his boxers as his trousers fell to the floor. He kicked them off and climbed into the bed. Kylie took the hint and slid into her spot under the covers.

Draco pulled her close and wrapped his arm around her. "Can we talk now?" He asked, kissing Kylie's shoulder.

"I'm scared." Kylie confessed, pressing herself into Draco.

"Of what?"

"Us. If by some miracle, we make it to the end of the school year together. Our whole lives have been riddled with chaos and conflict… so what if that's the reason we're drawn to each other? What if… we graduate, get a flat, get jobs… get a routine… and we get bored because there's nothing pulling us apart anymore?"

"Ky. I highly doubt that we'll ever get boring. Because if you get boring, something is very wrong. But if that happens… If we don't work out, it's okay. We'll be okay. And we will both walk away from this with more experience and understanding."

"But I don't want to break up, period. I kind of like you."

"And I love you. So, stop talking about our hypothetical break up." Draco paused and his eyes widened.

"Did you just-?" Kylie propped herself up on her elbows and raised an eyebrow.

"It just kind of slipped out." Draco thought for a moment. "I'm not taking it back."

"I didn't expect you to." Kylie grinned. "I love you, too."

Draco pulled Kylie in and pressed his lips to hers, tangling his fingers in her hair. Kylie reached under the covers and slid her hand under the waistband of Draco's boxers.

"Did me saying 'I love you' seriously make you hard?" Kylie asked, breaking the kiss, but not moving her hand away from his erection.

"Do you really want me to answer that? Because you already know what I'm going to say."

"Fuck me. Now." Kylie half-demanded. "I want to finish what we started earlier."

Draco growled and rolled himself on top of Kylie, pinning her underneath him. "You keep talking like that and we won't be leaving this bed for a while."

"Don't make promises you can't keep." Kylie winked, before pulling Draco into a kiss.

xxxxx


End file.
